Famous Name comes home clear at Leopardstown© Photo Healy Racing
Famous Name coasted home in the Group 3 Amethyst Stakes at Leopardstown for the third year in a row to make it an incredible 11 wins at Leopardstown and 16 wins overall.
Pat Smullen and the 1/5 favourite picked off pacemaker Ask Jack just over two furlongs out and the pair strode away to win by four and a half lengths from Sweet Lightning (11/2). Barack (12/1) took third place in the five-runner contest, a further four and a half lengths behind the runner-up.
Successful trainer Dermot Weld was delighted with his charge. He said: “He’s an amazing horse. I would believe that’s a record for wins here, certainly most stakes race wins.
“He’s a wonderful horse to train and loves being a racecourse. He's amazingly consistent and is very set in his ways. He’ll go for the Tatersalls Gold Cup. He has been second in it before.
“He was unlucky at Sandown [third to Penitent 16 days ago] when the ground was just about raceable. He wants just a bit of cut in the ground.
“He will travel throughout the year and should come back for the Champion Stakes here later in the year.”
Michael Graham
