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Mark Nunan

Mark Nunan

Fastar shows plenty of speed in the sprint handicap

Mon 23rd Mar 2020, 15:28

Fastar and Shane Foley draw clear of Dark VaderFastar and Shane Foley draw clear of Dark Vader
© Photo Healy Racing

Four times a previous winner over 7f and 1m, including on heavy ground, Fastar (12/1) handled the drop in trip to 6f with aplomb as he scored by four lengths in the Naas Racecourse Launches The 2020 Irish Flat Season Handicap under Shane Foley.

Always going nicely tracking the leaders, he scooted clear outside the furlong marker as 5/2 favourite Dark Vader did best of the rest, while Mokhalad (6/1 ) made good late headway into third, a further three lengths away.

The winner, a gelding by the recently deceased Fast Company, won three for Brian Meehan and had won his previous start back in December when taking a 7f handicap at Wolverhampton, when also partnered by Foley.

Former trainer Adrian Joyce is now assisting winning handler Ger O’Leary, and he commented afterwards: “He worked on Friday up the grass and worked really well with a couple of quick horses.

“The drop back in trip a little bit was a worry but he's an improving horse, he's well above average.

“Things have been going really well since I joined up with Ger and it's good to get a winner on the grass for him. We had a couple of winners in England.

“We have got a good team of horses and a lot of two-year-olds for the summer so it could be an exciting year for us.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

1st
12/1
Tote €17.20 €4.70
2nd
4L
5/2Fav
€1.70
3rd
3L
6/1
€2.10
4th
hd
12/1
About Mark Nunan
Mark has followed racing since he was a teenager and worked for many years as a broadcaster with the Irish version of Racecall. He joined the Press Association in 2019 and is also a contributor to the Racing Post. A native of Kildare, he now lives in Sligo.