Home Secretary is a fair performer at his best on the polytrack and the Machiavellian seven-year-old gained his fourth success at Dundalk when defying top-weight in the Follow Dundalk On Facebook Handicap under Seamie Heffernan.
The bold front-running effort of Confidence looked like it might pay off for much of the journey but he eventually succumbed to Home Secretary who got there by a three parts of a length. Prince Of Fashion finished off his race well for third.
Home Secretary didn't go un-backed as he was 16/1 this morning and ended up 8/1. Other money horses disappointed, Opening Nite (12s this morning into 4s) finished fifth and favourite Citizenship (7s this morning into 3s, reported not to have handled the surface and to have been hanging in running) could only beat one home.
Garvan Donnelly trains Home Secretary and he said: "He seems to like this place. He had his wind done earlier in the season and it took him a while to get over it.
"He had a few hold-ups but the handicapper gave him a bit of a chance.
"Seamie gave him a great ride as he is not straight-forward. He has to be produced late.
"That's his first win for his new owner (Gerard Clarke). We'll campaign him away here now and see what happens." (GC & EM)
