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Coltor brave to land opener at Naas

Coltor leads Showbusiness (left) and Zoffanien (centre) at the last Coltor leads Showbusiness (left) and Zoffanien (centre) at the last
© Photo Healy Racing

Coltor showed plenty of heart to last home in a thrilling finish to the opening maiden hurdle at Naas this afternoon.

Dermot Weld 's charge was sent to post the 11/4 favourite after being in the money on two outings over hurdles.

Paul Townend always had the Free Eagle gelding handy and he pressed long-time leader Toughari jumping the third last.

Coltor gained a narrow lead at the second last as Zoffanien and then Showbusiness threw down challenges.

The winner landed a bit steep at the last but found plenty in the closing stages and had just a neck to spare at the line from Showbusiness with the same margin back to Zoffanien in third.

Townend said afterwards:- “We are lucky to be here I suppose. It’s winter ground but it’s not bottomless and I was surprised it wasn’t a lot worse.

“He stuck it out well in fairness to him. He’d the experience of two runs which was a big help.

“He’ll probably appreciate a bit of nicer ground but he handled that as well as you’d expect him to.”

(Quotes by Alan Magee)

1st
11/4Fav
Tote €3.60 €1.50
2nd
nk
11/2
€2.20
3rd
nk
4/1
€1.90
4th
2.75L
7/2
About Gary Carson
Gary started out as a trainee/assistant journalist with the Sporting Life newspaper and has worked in the racing industry for over 25 years. He has been with the Press Association since 2013 and won the Irish Field Nap Table in 2016. He enjoys working with horses and trained his own horse, Mamaslittlestar, to win a point-to-point in 2019.