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Mark Nunan

Mark Nunan

San Aer flies home under Lee

Mon 30th Oct 2023, 13:31

San Aer hits the front inside the final furlongSan Aer hits the front inside the final furlong
© Photo Healy Racing

San Aer confidently ridden by Bill Lee, repeated last year's win in the KONE Handicap 

Settled in mid-division, the 3/1 joint-favourite was travelling well in fourth entering the straight and Lee elected to wait for a gap rather than angle out for his challenge. An opening materialised inside the final furlong and the five-year-old went away to beat the 2021 winner Big Island by three and a quarter lengths. 

Tom Mullins, who trains the winner for Rory F Larkin, said: "I was nervous for a moment but he said if he had to pull him up to go wide, it would have sickened the horse so he kept chancing the inside. He got a good ride, loves that ground and it couldn't be heavy enough for him.

"He won this race last year, is a great honest horse and keeps pulling out every day. He had a nice second last week and while he got stopped, wouldn't have won.

"He'll go to the Curragh on Sunday for either a E50,000 mile handicap or another race over seven furlongs. I'll chat with the owners and decide."

Quotes from Tom Weekes

1st
3/1JFav
Tote €4.30 €1.70
2nd
3.25L
6/1
€2.60
3rd
0.5L
3/1JFav
€1.10
About Mark Nunan
Mark has followed racing since he was a teenager and worked for many years as a broadcaster with the Irish version of Racecall. He joined the Press Association in 2019 and is also a contributor to the Racing Post. A native of Kildare, he now lives in Sligo.