Dark Ace returns to form to land first turf victory Twice successful on the all-weather, the Ado McGuinness trained Dark Ace opened his account on turf when staying on best under Adam Caffrey to win the Final Fence Marquee Hospitality Package 15th & 16th November On Sale Now Handicap at Navan. Held up in the early stages, the Jim Fairhurst, Damian McCann and Cyril McMullan owned gelding was ridden to go sixth over a furlong from the finish. Staying on strongly inside the last 150 yards, the 18/1 outsider led close home to beat Mickey The Steel by half-a-length. Ado McGuinness said: "We were after castrating him. He was a bit of a pup there earlier on and we cut him. "The boys bought into him when one of the partners sold out - Damian (McCann) still stayed in him. "We didn't expect him to run as well, I thought he might have needed it. "I said he would be a nice horse for Dundalk, I wasn't expecting him to do this. "He is lower (rated) on the grass as well, it was a big difference. "He'll go to Dundalk Friday week over six furlongs. Only thing is, I have three others for it as well. He has won there twice. "We didn't think he would go on this ground, we didn't think he would like this ground at all. He came home well on it." Additional reporting by Michael Graham.
