Glynn Brae strides home© Photo Healy Racing
Stuart Crawford unleashed a useful-looking newcomer in Glynn Brae to open his account in the four-year-old bumper at Leopardstown.
The Califet gelding went off at 11/2 having been available at double those odds in the morning.
Once Stephen Connor rode him into the lead a furlong and a-half down, the duo didn't look like they would relinquish it.
They asserted at the furlong pole and kept going to see off Delta Force (28/1) by two and a-half lengths. The remainder came home well spaced out with Baron Noir (11/2) third, beaten more than seven lengths by the victor.
Steven Crawford, owner and brother of the trainer: “I had concerns about the ground. He’s out of a Presenting mare and I thought that he’d appreciate a bit of better ground. He won despite the ground, but he has that wee bit of class and that’s what class horses do.
“He had to commit quite early because the horse was taking him there and nothing was going with him. The first thing Stephen said to me was he got there too soon but, when the race comes to you, then you have to go.
“He gave it a great ride and had him in the right place at the right time.
“I think when you see him on a bit of nice ground, he’ll really flick the toe and be more impressive. He had to stay today, and he showed that he can do that.
“I’ll be shocked if I still own this horse next week!
“At seven o’clock this morning he was a non-runner in my head. Then the ground went soft and it was a drying day, so I said we’ll take him down and walk it.
“I’d be friendly with JJ (Slevin) and Keith Donoghue and both of them said it is soft, but not too testing, so I said we’d take our chance.”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
