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- Point King completes double for Joseph O'Brien
Donal Murphy
Point King completes double for Joseph O'Brien
Point King and Shane Crosse (inside) lead home Waterville and Ryan Moore
© Photo Healy Racing
Point King completed a double at Leopardstown for Joseph O'Brien, as he claimed the Invesco Master Trust Rated Race.
A good winner at Fairyhouse on his second start, the Zoffany colt was an 11/4 chance in early shows but came in for strong market support, eventually going off the even money favourite. Waterville went the other way in the market, from 4/5 early out to a starting price of 7/4.
Settled in second, the bay victor was ridden to challenge the front-running Nectarine with over a furlong left to race.
He got to the front inside the final 200 yards and then had to fend off the challenge of Waterville, with half-a-length separating them at the line.
Ryan Moore was aboard the runner-up for Aidan O'Brien, while Nectarine was a further three-and-half-lengths back in third.
"He's quite a big, raw horse and stays very well," Crosse said.
"He stepped forward from his Fairyhouse run and he toughs it out good. I think he'll improve away into a good stayer.
"He's got the makings of a nice horse and hopefully he keeps going in that direction.
"It's nice to see that willing attitude and it’s onwards and upwards hopefully."
Point King rounded off a good day for the O'Brien clan, with Aidan O'Brien earlier completing a double of his own, while the Tyros Stakes was won by Donnacha's Proud And Regal
Additional reporting by Alan Magee