Gary Carroll (orange cap) wins on Masucci© Photo Healy Racing
Once the sweet-travelling Masucci (6s into 4s) secured racing room the Bulmers Live At Leopardstown Handicap was all his, and thankfully for jockey Gary Carroll the gap came in time.
For owner Sean Jones and trainer Ger Lyons Tony The Gent went off at odds of 9/4 favourite, but it was their Masucci that came to the fore.
The successful Zoffany gelding made it two wins from his last three starts, seemingly enjoying the step-up to a mile and a quarter to convincingly beat Hamley by three parts of a length.
The aforementioned Tony The Gent ended up fifth of the seven.
"You couldn't fault him the way he's done that. He was all locked up and loved travelling. There wasn't much of a gap but when it appeared the horse shot through it," said Lyons.
"We'll try and keep him to that trip. He's in a rated race at Tipperary next week. He's after winning three now and you can't fault a horse that has done that. Hopefully there is a Premier Handicap in him."
On earlier runners Lyons reflected: "The saddle slipped again on the horse in the first (Heavenly Rainbow). It did in Fairyhouse as well and he's jumped through the girths. How he is staying on him I don't know. It's disappointing but we have girths stitched to him, we have breast girths stitched to him, and we have a shammy on him. I don't know what else to do.
"California Daddy has probably run into another one. He's a weak horse at the moment. He's a huge big horse, and if I get my way you won't see him again this year."
(AM & EM)
