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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Laugh A Minute brings home a 1-3 for McGuinness at Naas

Mon 29th Apr 2024, 18:21

Laugh A Minute, near side, catches Stag Night Laugh A Minute, near side, catches Stag Night
© Photo Healy Racing

Laugh A Minute gunned down Stag Night close home in the Naas Racecourse Centenary Year Handicap over an extended five furlongs.

In-form Stag Night showed serious pace to have the bulk of his rivals hard at work approaching the final furlong.

He was still boxing on inside the final furlong, however, he really needed the line in the closing stages especially when Laugh A Minute came to join him on the inner.

The latter finished the stronger to score by a neck at 10/1 under Ronan Whelan from the 5/2 favourite who, in effect, was racing off 14lb higher than his Cork victory last month as he went up 4lb and had a 10lb claimer on board that day.

Backers of Apache Outlaw a stablemate of Laugh A Minute, drew an each-way dividend from the third placer (12/1).

McGuinness said: “He wasn’t winning out of turn! He’s been very consistent. I thought the ground might have gone for him today, but it’s just beautiful ground.

“We’ve been running him over five but he’s a better horse over six. He stays at it well and long-term he’ll probably end up down in the west (Galway Festival) for the seven (furlong handicap) on the Sunday.

“He’s been a great servant and it’s great to get his head in front for all the boys. There is a huge crowd of them here today.

“I won’t be afraid to try seven with him at the right track where the horses are coming back to him.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee

1st
10/1
Tote €11.00 €3.30
2nd
nk
5/2Fav
€1.50
3rd
1.75L
12/1
€4.00
4th
1.25L
17/2
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.