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- Palio leaves it late to pip stablemate
Gary Carson
Palio leaves it late to pip stablemate
Voce Del Palio and Declan McDonogh (nearest) pip Wujdaan
© Photo Healy Racing
Voce Del Palio lunged late to pip stablemate Wujdaan at the line in the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden at Roscommon.
Joseph O'Brien ran two in the seven-furlong contest and it was the newcomer Wujdaan who looked set to collect after swooping to lead two furlongs out and soon opening up a few lengths lead.
The leader just seemed to take a false step at a bare patch of turf inside the final furlong and tied up slightly close home.
Declan McDonogh had found himself trapped on the rails when his stable-mate scooted clear two furlongs out and got his mount rolling in the closing stages to flash home for victory.
The 6/4 winner had shaped with promise when fourth behind Alfred Munnings on his debut at Leopardstown ten days ago and was giving Joseph O'Brien his first juvenile winner this year.
Assistant trainer Brendan Powell said afterwards:- “Dec said it didn’t really go to plan. His idea was to be handy so they took him on and he had to sit and suffer. He didn’t want to be there.
“The filly took off and went clear but his bit of class got him there in the end. She was out in front long enough and that hill just caught her out.
“The winner’s experience helped as he stayed on very well the last time at Leopardstown. The filly will be winning too so it’s a good result all round.”
(Quotes by Alan Magee)