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Tom Weekes

Tom Weekes

Meade wins Lincoln with Layfayette

Sun 21st Mar 2021, 17:31

Layfayette (14)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

1st
8/1
Tote €8.70 €2.10
2nd
0.5L
11/1
€2.90
3rd
0.5L
18/1
€4.90
4th
nk
33/1
€8.10
bf
nk
7/2Fav
About Tom Weekes
A lifelong racing fan, Tom began writing point to point reports in 2002 and has reported for irishracing.com since 2003, when he joined Irish Racing Services - since taken over by the Press Association. Has ridden a point to point winner and won the 2018 Irish Field Naps Table.