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Tom Weekes

Tom Weekes

Weld eyes Guineas Trials with debut winner

Sat 28th Oct 2017, 14:44

FlaviusFlavius
© Photo Healy Racing

The Dermot Weld trained, Khalid Abdullah owned Flavius made a taking winning start to his career when justifying strong even money favouritism in the Tote Irish EBF (C & G) Maiden Leopardstown today under jockey Leigh Roche.

Backed from 2/1 this morning, the son of War Front was eventually returned the strong ‘jolly’ and under Roche, filling in for Weld’s suspended stable jockey Pat Smullen, quickened well to lead in the closing stages before scoring a length and a half win over Conclusion

Afterwards Weld stated “it was a good workmanlike performance and he's a gorgeous big colt. He's having a real serious blow there and there is lots of improvement in him.

“He was a big late maturing horse and his dam (Group 2 winner Starformer) was a good mile-and-a-quarter filly and there is plenty of stamina in the pedigree.

“He'll be a lovely horse for a mile or a mile-and-a-quarter next year, is a horse we like an awful lot and he has potentially a big future. He'll be a lovely horse for one of the Guineas Trials next spring.”

He added “considering the time of year it's lovely ground here and a credit to Leopardstown.”

Quotes from Gary Carson

1st
1/1Fav
Tote €2.20 €1.10
2nd
1.5L
11/1
€3.20
3rd
0.75L
14/1
€3.60
4th
hd
2/1
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.