Layfayette (14)© Photo Healy Racing
Noel Meade bagged a second big handicap win this week at the Curragh today, with Layfayette s win in the Paddy Power Irish Lincoln following the trainer's Tuesday Cheltenham Festival success with Jeff Kidder.
Jeff Kidder was the biggest-priced winner of the week at the Cheltenham Festival when winning Tuesday's 22-runner Boodles Handicap Hurdle at 80/1 and today, at 8/1, Layfayette proved best in his own 24 runner contest.
Ridden by Chris Hayes, the son of French Navy eventually beat runner-up Maker Of Kings by half a length to scoop first prize of €54,000 for owners Paul and Patricia Hunt.
Afterwards Meade, winning the race for the first time, reported “it's nice when a plan comes together!
“I'm delighted for the owners too because they haven't had a lot of luck lately.
“I put cheekpieces on him and Chris (Hayes) said they made some difference to him. He's quite a nice horse and hopefully he'll be able to build on that.
“The first day he ran here last year the ground was very quick and it took him a long time to get over it as he was sore after the run.”
Meade also revealed “we've always loved him and I gelded him during the winter.”
“He's not a hurdler, he's not that shape, and he has quite a flicky action.
“A mile-and-a-quarter will probably suit him better, and he was second over a mile-and-a-half. He was entitled to win a good one because he's been knocking on the door.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
