In From The Cold and Chris Hayes (left) foil Camachita (blue) in the Madrid Handicap© Photo Healy Racing
A good outcome for Kells, Co. Meath trainer Michael Mulvany in the Naas Business Club Madrid Handicap as his two runners, both family-owned, came home first and third to bank over 34k in total prize-money.
A little outpaced early on, and checked on the home turn, In From The Cold (8/1) picked up well when switched to the outer in the home straight by Chris Hayes and wore down Camchita (12/1) to score by half a length, with his always prominent stablemate The King Of Kells (13/2) another length and a half back in third.
The 3/1 fav Hong Kong was never involved and finished tenth.
The two Mulvany horses were by far the most experienced in the line-up, with the winner having scored twice from thirteen outings as a juvenile, including a course and distance victory in November on similar ground.
“The 6lb probably stopped the other lad (The King Of Kells). It would have been a good contest between the two of them last week but the handicapper gave him 6lb,” said Mulvany.
“The winner is nicely handicapped and I think he'll stay a bit further, I'd say that's what won it on the day.
“He'll probably get a mile, and a mile-and-a-bit. He's a good honest horse.
“Chris said he was under a little bit of pressure most of the way but he was staying on. Out there it's no exceptional pace you want but just to stay on.
“If the racing keeps going, on heavy ground, we'll have to see where we go next with him. The handicapper mightn't be that impressed with me!
“It's nice to have the money in the pot.
“In Dundalk we were hitting the cross-bar but we weren't running many there, just tricking along this year.
“The whole of the team seem to be in good form and I was anxious for this to go ahead.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
