Trainer Steve Mahon has Galway Plate plans for his Champagne Harmony following the gelding’s win in the Killarney Outlook Publications Novice Chase at Killarney today, under a hard-at-work Denis O’Regan.

The son of Stowaway seemed to race lazily for much of the trip but did go through the gears gradually and in the end quickened from the second last to score a five and a half lengths win over Dicosimo

Afterwards Galway based Mahon said “it’s easy talking about it after the event but I said a long time ago the long-term plan is the Galway Plate.These trainers are great when they win three weeks before Galway, and say they’re all heading to Galway, but I’m saying it a long time.

“He’s a work in progress and is a lazy horse but the ground would have been as lively as I would have liked. He’s a good actioned horse and will probably get another run, probably over hurdles, just to sharpen him up for the Plate.”

By Tom Weekes