Tandem and Pat Smullen assert from Intisari and Colin Keane© Photo Healy Racing
"They went steady and I was hoping that would happen as our horse has a good turn of foot. I thought we could beat the favourite for a bit of speed," explained Pat Smullen after Tandem over-turned 8/15 shot Intisari in the Dundalk Stadium Light Up Your Night Race.
"These small fields can be tactical races and that actually suited our lad so it worked out well. He put it to bed impressively," added Smullen of Dermot Weld's two and a quarter length victor.
"In fairness to the favourite he is inexperienced and we had that on our side as well," further explained the multiple champion jockey.
In this extended ten furlong four horse affair Tandem tracked the leaders, he moved up smoothly in the straight, and he was pushed out to assert and kept on well in the final furlong for the win over Intisari, who was bidding to bring up a treble for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane.
R.P. Cleary, rider of General Bunching (USA) trained by Thomas Cleary, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount hung throughout.
(GC & EM)
