Gazelle D'or wins 'right race' for Grassick Gazelle D'or availed of first-time cheekpieces to sweep through and land a red-hot premier handicap over five furlongs at Headquarters. The 14/1 chance raced in rear and was switched right by Wayne Lordan to make headway with more than two furlongs to go. Forward momentum continued on the run to the final furlong and she found a lovely seam between horses a furlong out to lead 100 yards down. Once crack was soon administered by Lordan and his mount kept on well to beat Brigid's Cloak (11/2) by a length. Jorge Alvares (7/2 favourite) was a neck off the runner-up in third. This was a drop in trip for Gazelle D'or after winning over six here in April before third-placed finishes over an extended five in Naas and over an extended six at Fairyhouse. Michael Grassick said: “The last day nothing followed the front two. She likes to take her time but, when nothing followed, she ended up being too far back. “We thought dropping back to five might suit her today. Even at that, he said they were going plenty fast but once she get passing one or two.. “I was surprised how easily she’s won. She’s a hardy tough filly. She eats up and she’s very straightforward. “We’ll maybe try and find a bit of black-type, there are plenty of races for her and there might be another nice handicap somewhere. We’ll have a look. “The way she won you’d be sticking at five with her, maybe she doesn’t quite see out the six. “She won at Navan and here over six, but they were in a lesser grade. “She made up about eight of ten lengths on them last time in Fairyhouse and Billy (Lee) thought a furlong down he was going to get them, but then he didn’t. “She won the right race. If she had won that she probably wouldn’t have run today or she would have had a penalty.” Additional reporting by Gary Carson
