Tommy Stack & Wayne Lordan after they combined to score with Van Rooney© Photo Healy Racing
After winning his maiden over the course and distance in May, Van Rooney followed up on that success by taking the www.mosscontrol.ie handicap on his second start in handicap company.
Ridden by Wayne Lordan and trained by Tommy Stack, the 3yo son of Van Nistelrooy beat the smart Custom Cut by a neck here in May to win his maiden before he finished a disappointing seventh on his last start at Dundalk behind Suehail.
Sent off the 5/1 favourite (opened 5/1 on-course and touched 13/2) this afternoon, he was held up in the early stages and was driven along entering the straight.
He made headway from two furlongs out and was second and challenged with under a furlong left to race.
He kept on best from there to lead close home and score by a neck at the line from fellow course and distance winner Matjar in second at 20/1 for Joseph Quinn and Ben Curtis.
The Jim Bolger trained Loreto finished a further length and a half back in third at 11/2 (opened the 5/1 favourite on track) under Kevin Manning for Jim Bolger.
Winning trainer Tommy Stack said afterwards: "The race he won here in May, he beat a good horse in Custom Cut and the form has worked out well.
"Wayne is riding really well and he is having a good year. This horse is big enough to jump hurdles."
(On-course reporting by Alan Magee)
