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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

The Last Indian and Smullen team up well

Fri 11th Aug 2017, 20:48

The Last Indian breaks her duck in TipperaryThe Last Indian breaks her duck in Tipperary
© Photo Healy Racing

Pat Smullen looked a significant booking for The Last Indian and so it proved as he drove the four-year-old filly home in Tipperary.

The daughter of Captain Rio had uninspiring form figures of 000809 but it was a very different story this evening in Division Two of the extended seven furlong handicap.

Smullen drove the 9/1 shot into contention over a furlong from home and she kept at it well to see off Lake George by a length and three quarters. Free To Roam was another length and a quarter away in third at 8/1.

Trainer Aidan Howard said: "Last season she was very weak in herself and took time to come to hand. Since I gave her three runs over hurdles, she is after strengthening up and the ease in the ground helped today.

"Pat (Smullen) actually sat on her a couple of times and thought she would have a squeak coming here today. She is a half-sister to Enter The Indian, who is a grand little horse and was a winner of seven or eight races.

"She is rated 35 but ran off 45 today and has a hurdles rating of 84, so we'll give her another couple of spins on the flat and then hope to go autumn hurdling."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes

1st
9/1
Tote €10.50 €3.30
2nd
1.75L
14/1
€4.60
3rd
1.25L
8/1
€3.30
4th
1.5L
12/1
bf
1.25L
4/1Fav
About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.