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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Tough Talk walks the walk in Curragh

Sun 10th Apr 2022, 14:16

Tough Talk, centre, pips Little Big Bear. leftTough Talk, centre, pips Little Big Bear. left
© Photo Healy Racing

Newcomer Tough Talk was all the rage for the Holden Plant Rentals Irish EBF Maiden in the Curragh and rewarded that faith by getting up under Colin Keane.

The Kingman colt was supported from 9/1 to 9/2 this morning and was hammered down to 5/2 from 7/2 at the track.

He raced third at the halfway stage behind the leader Forceful Speed and the market leader Little Big Bear (7/4f).

Little Big Bear picked up the mantle racing to the final furlong and a half and was chased through by Tough Talk and Shartash on the stands' side rail.

Tough Talk closed on Little Big Bear with 150 yards to travel and kept going to collar him in the final stride.

He won by a short head. Shartash (16/1) couldn't go with the front pair deep in the final furlong and dropped two and three quarter lengths back in third.

Ger Lyons said: “We've run three and they've all run as expected.

“I said to Colin going out, take your time, go through the gears and hit the line strong. If you win you win but if you don't we'll win the next day, simple as.

“He's a horse we've always liked. He took it all in and was squealing and shouting in the ring beforehand, it's the first time I've heard him roar since he came to me.

“It's his first time away from home and first time on grass so there should be plenty of improvement.

“We'll keep it local and let him tell us when and where we'll start him back but it'll be in Ireland.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

1st
5/2
Tote €3.50 €1.50
2nd
shd
7/4Fav
€1.10
3rd
2.75L
16/1
€3.30
4th
1.5L
9/1
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.