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Alan Magee

Alan Magee

Ground Vitally Important to Oliver 5yo

Mon 1st Jun 2015, 16:14

Vitally Important and Fran Berry score in good styleVitally Important and Fran Berry score in good style
© Photo Healy Racing

Whatever rain got into the ground by mid-afternoon at Naas didn't stop Vitally Important returning to form in the New BBQ Evening Format At Naas Handicap.

Trainer Andy Oliver put a couple of reverses this season for the lightly-raced five-year-old down to the ground, and he came good here after attracting some late support into 10/1.

Fran Berry produced the son of Pivotal to lead well over a furlong out, and he kept on strongly inside the final furlong to beat Strait Of Zanzibar by two and three quarter lengths. Texas Rock was a further three quarters of a length back in third, with Trinity Force in fourth.

Oliver said, "Fran gave him a great ride. He's a big horse and showed a lot of promise on his first start. He didn't build on that in his two runs this year but we put a lot of that down to the ground.

"Even though he's by Pivotal, he likes a bit of better ground and it was just about ideal today (officially good to yielding). We'll see what the handicapper does with him."

1st
10/1
Tote €11.70 €2.10
2nd
2.75L
11/1
€2.70
3rd
0.75L
8/1
€2.50
4th
nk
4/1JFav
€1.80
bf
1.75L
4/1JFav
About Alan Magee
Alan has worked in the racing industry for well over 30 years including with the Sporting Life, Turform and Irish Racing Services. He took up his current role as Irish Racing Team Leader with the Press Association in 2013. He has a keen interest in most sports and plays golf.