Afonso De Sousa and Joseph O'Brien on their way to victory© Photo Healy Racing
Afonso De Sousa overcame a lengthy absence to take the last at Dundalk this evening, the Dundalk Stadium - Light Up Your Night Race, providing Aidan and Joseph O’Brien with a double on the card (earlier scored with Red Rocks Point .
The successful three-year-old son of Henrythenavigator won his maiden at Leopardstown on his third start in July of 2012, and he then finished third of five to Dundonnell in the Group 3 Acomb Stakes at York the following month.
Stepped up in trip to a mile and two for the first time, and having his first run since York, the bay colt was sent off a 2/1 chance having opened at 6/4 on-course.
Having raced mainly in second, he improved to lead entering the straight, and he kept on well under pressure to hold off the challenge of Dabadiyan (11/10 favourite), scoring by a length and a half at the line.
The runner-up was bidding for his fourth win in-a-row, but he couldn’t match the winner in the home straight, and he had to settle for second under Declan McDonogh for Mick Halford.
Joseph O'Brien said afterwards: "He is a lovely big horse. He was prepped to go to Dubai but he had a little setback and then he was ready in the middle part of the year but he had another setback.
"He is very genuine and he did another circuit as I couldn’t pull him up."
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
