Iridescent and Kieran Callaghan (left) © Photo Healy Racing
Topweight Iridescent (8/1, from 16s early this morning) won the second division of the FBD Handicap Hurdle for trainer Jonathan Fogarty and 7lb claimer Kieran Callaghan.
Off the bridle in mid-division at halfway, he made steady headway on the final circuit and led before the last. Callaghan had an anxious moment at that final flight when the winner overjumped, causing him to briefly lose an iron, but things were quickly back on an even keel and the nine-year-old stayed on well to score by five lengths from Ciankyle
Callaghan said: “He just came up out of my hands at the last and went a bit sideways. My foot just slipped out (of the iron) but thankfully we were all right.
“He wasn’t travelling at all early and going out past the stands the last time I still wasn’t happy but I got two good jumps at the top of the hill going down the back. He latched on going down the hill and I actually ended up getting there too soon.
"Mikey and Jonathan (Fogarty) had said to me that he gallops all day and they were dead right. From when I got stuck into him after the second-last, he really found.”
