Chris Hayes celebrates on Panama Hat © Photo Healy Racing
Panama Hat kept finding more for Chris Hayes to gamely pass the post first in the mile and two handicap at Leopardstown.
The joint bottom weight jumped out smartly and soon led. He was ridden over two furlongs out and it looked like Spring Focus who had moved smoothly from fourth into second, would ease past him on the long run for home. However, Panama Hat refused to be passed and kept his head in front.
Once Spring Focus cracked in his pursuit of the leader, it was left to Pirate Cove and Pat Smullen to try and hunt him down. The four-year-old filly broke out of the chasing pack and stayed on stoutly without getting on terms of the winner. She went down by a length and a quarter at 9/2. Spring Focus the 5/2 favourite from 3/1 was third, beaten a length and three quarters by the winner who came in at 13/2 from 15/2.
Chris Hayes said: “He had a nice run the last day, but the plan was not to be in front. He felt really good going down to the start, a nice free-moving horse and I decided to go to Plan B.
“He got it easy in front and Andy said he stays well. Hopefully he’ll improve.”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
