Smart Dan could now be Listowel bound The O'Briens from Piltown have a long and proud association with Tramore. Of course David is the man in the training hot-seat now, and he produced a lovely newcomer in the shape of the Denis Tarrant-owned and bred and Jamie Codd-ridden Be My Dan (13/2) in the concluding Brennan's Pharmacy INH Flat Race. O'Brien's late father Frank trained many winners at Tramore, and there were plenty of victors steered to success here by family members over that time too. This bumper was supposed to be all about the Mullins hot-pot, Blue Epona (2/5), but she and the rest had no answer to Be My Dan from over a furlong out. At the finish the Dansant gelding had six and a half lengths and a half a length in hand over Ask Susan and Blue Epona. "I thought he'd run well. He was working well but I hadn't got grass work into him. He has always shown plenty though," reflected O'Brien. "Jamie rode him in Duninga three weeks ago and he said another couple of gallops and he should be fairly right. When Willie Mullins has something in the race though you can't be too confident. "He has always shown plenty so I'm delighted that he done that and there is plenty of improvement in him. He'll probably go for a winners bumper now in Listowel, that's if he is not sold. Hopefully he won't sell this lad." (DM & EM)
