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- Hayes grabs brace on last-gasp Clueless Hill
Michael Graham
Hayes grabs brace on last-gasp Clueless Hill
Clueless Hill and Chris Hayes with connections
© Photo Healy Racing
Luke Comer's Clueless Hill (10/1) got up on the line to deprive 5/2 favourite Clifftop at the end of the second divide of Navan's 10-furlong handicap.
He gave Chris Hayes a Navan double as he was also on board Amazing Emma in the five-furlong handicap.
There were five horses spread across the track at the furlong marker and favourite backers must have thought they were home when Clifftop, with the 6lb winners' penalty for scoring at Leopardstown on Thursday, forged on in the final 100 yards.
However, Clueless Hill, who was widest of all in sixth just behind the leaders entering the final furlong finished with a real flourish to nose the favourite out. Dream Wisely (18/1) was just a neck back in a driving finish. Rita Levi came in a length and a quarter further back in fourth at 22/1.
Comer's assistant Jim Gorman: “It's been slippy and our horse (Wee Jim) slipped in the last race. Chris said he wasn't getting any traction in the bends so that's why he came wide on him and it worked out.
“He kept going all the way. He's been trying a long time and it's great to see him win.
“He'll go for something similar over a mile-and-two or a mile-and-a-half.
“Decent ground suits all our horses, they can't handle soft to heavy ground. The horses are in good form and hopefully it keeps going.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson