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Cowell a Dundalk Visionary

Visionary, left, sees off Rock In Peace and Tuff Love, rightVisionary, left, sees off Rock In Peace and Tuff Love, right
© Photo Healy Racing

British raider Visionary (4/1) saw out Dundalk's seven furlongs best in the featured 25,000 euro race.

Robert Cowell booked champion jockey Pat Smullen for the assignment who tracked front-running Rock In Peace and Gary Carroll. Tuff Love was settled third with Remember The Days completing the quartet.

Smullen asked for more from Visionary over a quarter of a mile out and the pair moved up to challenge Rock In Peace racing to the final furlong.

It was in the final 150 yards that Visionary edged ahead and he increased his lead to a length and a quarter at the line.

Fellow 4/1 chance Rock In Peace had to make do with second place.

Visionary was as short as 11/8 in the morning but bookmakers couldn't give him away whereas Ger Lyons' Tuff Love was heavily supported down to 11/8 favourite.

He came in third, a neck off runner-up and stablemate Rock In Peace.

“Robert was very positive about the horse before the race and he thinks a bit of him,” Pat Smullen said.

“He won like a smart horse there. They didn't go over-quick early and I was happy to take a lead with him. He quickened up well and so did the second horse. We really stepped it on from two furlongs out.

“It's a far as he wants to go, seven furlongs, and I think he might even be a bit better on the grass.

“I think he'll have a good long summer with him. He impressed me there and showed he's a nice type of horse.

“I'd be of the opinion that he'd rather come back to six than step up any further. Six or seven furlongs is probably his trip. He could progress to be a nice horse during the summer.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

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.