Slipper Orchid delights Damien Melia with rivals fanned out behind© Photo Healy Racing
After the 20/1 win of Faranadooney in the second, the market again at Dundalk proved of no guidance to punters as 16/1 shot Slipper Orchid (put in a 5/1 chance in the betting forecast in the trade paper) landed the www.dundalkstadium.com Handicap.
Young Damien Melia (turns 20 next month) got a good run down the inner on the Verglas mare who was coming off a 225 day break. The Monasterevin native who works for the winning handler Mick Halford, brought the roan-coloured five-year-old home by three parts of a length from Strait Of Zanzibar
Halford is in Dubai to supervise his team for tomorrow's big meeting so it was left to stable representative Garrett Cotter to say: "It was a great first run back and a pleasant surprise.
"She's tough and Damien is good value for his claim."
That claim is now reduced from ten pounds down to seven.
The betting had this down as something of a match between English Deer (9/10) and Zalty (7/2) but they could manage no better than fourth and fifth place respectively. (AM & EM)
