The market suggested that the two-year-old maiden – the claregalwayhotel.ie & Ramada Hotel Card Club EBF Maiden – would develop into a match and so it proved as Riviera Poet denied Learn close home as the pair pulled a yawning 13 lengths clear of their rivals.
The Dermot Weld-trained colt was dethroned as favourite following a massive plunge that sent Learn off the 4/6 favourite, and Riviera Poet drifted out to 2/1.
Learn was left in front after British challenger Thirsty Bear hung badly left off the final bend and out of the race. Seamie Heffernan made the best of his way home from this point with a two lengths advantage.
However, Riviera Poet responded really well to Pat Smullen's urgings in the straight and quickened up well in the final furlong to score by a length. Shukhov (25/1) was all of 13 lengths back in third.
Following an amazing 20th win in this corresponding race, Weld said, “That could well turn out to be the race of the week. It was a very good two-year-old race, and they are two smart horses. He had a hold up after his first run at the Curragh with sore shins, and I had to tighten him a bit more than I wanted to get here. You often need a Group horse to win here, and I think he is a Group horse. He's in the National Stakes.”
Alan Magee
