Go For Goal beats Shining Emerald in Leopardstown© Photo Healy Racing
Go For Goal (7/1) was the only horse with a run this season under his belt and that stood him in good stead as he repelled the challenge of Shining Emerald in the 2,000 Guineas trial at Leopardstown.
The grey son of Verglas was always in the front rank under Pat Smullen who had Seamie Heffernan and Buonarroti for company in this mile contest.
Buonarroti cracked with a furlong to go and it was Shining Emerald who came through from third to challenge Go For Goal at the business end. Weld’s charge though powered on towards the line and hit it three parts of a length ahead of Shining Emerald (5/2).
“Fitness! He ran a good race at the Curragh carrying 9-10 [second last Sunday]. He handles that ground and is a very fit horse. It was a very enterprising ride from the jockey as was the plan, “Dermot Weld said.
“We’ll see how he comes out of that. We’ll give him a bit of time and see where we go. We decided today was the ideal race for him on the score of fitness. He’s game, he battles and he tries hard.
“He’s effective on that ground, but he’s a light-bodied horse and has a good action so I wouldn’t be surprised if he handled better ground.”
The previously unbeaten Indian Maharaja was never sighted in the race as he came in eighth of the 10 runners. He was subsequently found to be stiff behind when examined after the race. He had been backed in from 2/1 to 11/8 favouritism for Aidan and Joseph O’Brien.
Dermot Weld has won this race before with among others Grey Swallow (Irish Derby winner in 2004), Refuse To Bend (English 2,000 Guineas winner in 2003) and multiple Group 3-scorer Famous Name.
Weld and Smullen's double today was initiated by Fascinating Rock in the previous race.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
