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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Joey Sasa puts them away in Ballybrit

Sun 30th Oct 2016, 17:05

Joey Sasa comes home alone in GalwayJoey Sasa comes home alone in Galway
© Photo Healy Racing

Joey Sasa (2/1) drew right away for a wide-margin victory in Galway's bumper for Noel Meade and Nina Carberry.

The seven-year-old gelding disputed the lead with Palmabad before taking up the initative himself with over three furlongs left.

The 11/10 favourite, Champagne Classic was ridden to try and collar the leader sweeping round the home bend.

However, Joey Sasa was still on the bridle and was then pushed along coming to the final furlong to assert.

He opened up to win by seven and a half lengths from the market jolly. Justmemyselfandi (10/1) finished half a length behind the runner-up in third.

Noel Meade said: "All along we thought he wanted soft ground but he loved the good today. He keeps going and I'd say he is a reasonable horse.

"He missed a couple of years not because he was injured but because he wasn't brought in until he was a six-year-old, so that's why he is as old as he is.

"He jumps well and will go for a maiden hurdle next."

Joey Sasa was last seen taking third place in a pair of bumpers in Navan and at Clonmel in March.

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes

About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.