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Mountain does enough in finale

Cradle Mountain scores under Donnacha O'Brien Cradle Mountain scores under Donnacha O'Brien
© Photo Healy Racing

The Aidan O'Brien-trained Cradle Mountain found plenty from the front to land the odds in the concluding median auction race at Fairyhouse tonight.

Donnacha O'Brien made the running on the 4/5 shot but Gallope looked a big danger as he came under pressure two furlongs from home.

The Mastercraftsman colt kept responding for O'Brien junior, however, and Gallope could make no impression inside the final furlong as the favourite galloped on strongly for a length-and-a-half verdict.

The pair pulled 12 lengths clear of the only other runner Walkabout

The winner, in the colours of the rider's mother Anne-Marie, had been placed on three of his five outings since winning his maiden at Naas in April.

"He's very idle and I'd say he'd make a lovely jumper in the future when he's gelded," said the winning rider afterwards.

It was Donnacha O'Brien's first winner since dropping to a 5lb claim.

(Additional reporting by Alan Magee)

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.