Tai Sing Yeh makes all for Donagh O'Connor© Photo Healy Racing
Johnny Levins notched up a landmark in his training career saddling his 100th winner as Tai Sing Yeh (6/1) landed the 5f sprint handicap at Navan on only his second try at the minimum distance.
The eight-year-old, a five-time winner over six and seven furlongs, had finished third at Dundalk on Friday on his first try at this trip when tried in a visor and here, with blinkers fitted, made all under Donagh O'Connor to defeat Livingston Range by three quarters of a length. Teddy Boy ran on to be third, a further head away, but Saturday’s Curragh Mogwli sent off 5/2 favourite, couldn’t land a blow this time and finished ninth.
Levins, who enjoyed a successful career as a National Hunt jockey before taking out a training licence in 2013, said: "Dundalk is a very fast five with a bend and if they handle that, normally they’ll handle (five furlongs) at a track like Navan with an uphill finish.
“I was surprised that he was able to dictate away in front. They might have left him alone and Donagh might have been able to do his own fractions and that kind of helped him. He quickened just before the hill and made it into some sort of a stamina test. I would say the blinkers helped him, and the run up at Dundalk on Friday sharpened him up.
“He’s an old horse and the blinkers are on to try and keep him sharp and active over this shorter trip."
O'Connor said, "I think the blinkers have helped and he showed plenty of pace."
Quotes from Michael Graham
