Sir Ector under Chris Hayes (centre foreground) in the early stages of the race© Photo Healy Racing
Top weight Sir Ector (8/1) took the final race at Leopardstown this evening, the Leopardstown Club Members 2m Handicap, for his trainer James Lambe with Chris Hayes in the saddle.
The French import was wearing blinkers for the first time today and they worked there magic as he hit the front entering the straight and was soon ridden clear.
His lead was reduced inside the final furlong but he stayed on well to score by two lengths at the line from the Jessica Harrington trained Takeyourcapoff in second at 6/1 under Fran Berry.
9/2 joint favourite Sky Pilot was a further four and a half lengths back in third under Pat Smullen for Joanna Morgan while the other 9/2 joint favourite was Cloudgazer for Noel Meade and Johnny Murtagh but he ran no sort of race and finished a tailed off last of the thirteen runners.
The winning son of Dynaformer had some good form on the level in France but failed to score over hurdles for Lambe after five attempts.
Last time out he went back to the flat and finished a decent third behind Captain Cee Bee and Sky Pilot at the Curragh and he managed to go two places better this evening reversing the form with Sky Pilot in the process.
Winning trainer James Lambe said afterwards: "We will have to wait and see how good of a race that was. Some of his form in France gave him a chance.
"The winning syndicate (the Dorightlys Syndicate) are from Armagh and there is six or seven of them."
(On-course reporting by Michael Graham)
