Moonmeister completes a double for Pat Smullen© Photo Healy Racing
Pat Smullen completed a 96/1 double on the card at Dundalk when successfully teaming up with Gordon Elliott for the first time as Moonmeister justified favouritism in the Crowne Plaza Hotel Dundalk Handicap.
Smullen, now on the 81 winner mark for the season and 23 clear of reigning champion Joseph O’Brien, produced the 11/4 market leader on the outer to lead inside the final furlong for a length and a quarter success. Cash Or Casualty set the pace and rallied again in the closing stages to secure the runner-up spot, with Carla’s Princess just a neck away in third.
The Mastercraftsman gelding, well-backed from 9/2 this morning, was scoring for the second time in three starts for Elliott this term having won on his seasonal debut at Bellewstown.
Owner Paula Davison from Dunboyne said: "He's a home bred and we are in Killarkin Stud. We didn't get enough for him as a yearling so had no option but to race him.
“We had him with Joanna Morgan and she always said he had ability. She recommended we send him to Michael Maguire who breaks horses for a living. He worked with his head and compared him to a child who always wanted sweets, a bit spoilt. Afterwards, he said we should send him to Gordon.
“We are happy to pick up what we can with him. He had been off the track for a long time before Bellewstown so he was an unknown quantity.
"We couldn't accept he was as bad as he was last year, and are delighted to see his rating go up. He's a very well-bred horse who was rejected at the sales."
(AM & MG)
