Head Waiter is driven out by Conor King to beat Rawnaq on the inside© Photo Healy Racing
Seasoned campaigner Head Waiter recorded his first win in over two and a half years as he took the Intervarsity Colours Challenge Handicap under ten pound claimer Conor King (third career success) for trainer Claire Simpson.
The now seven time winning, ten-year-old son of Lend A Hand finished a good second last time out at Dundalk and was sent off at 10/1 this evening.
Slowly away from the stalls he raced in mid-division for much of the contest before making progress out wide in the home straight.
He was ridden into third a furlong from home and he stayed on well inside the final furlong to lead in the closing stages, winning by half a length at the line.
The Matthew Smith trained Rawnaq (7’s in 5/1 on-course) attempted to make all under Conor Hoban but he couldn’t fend off the winner and had to settle for second while Fleur De Nuit (10/1) ran well to take third, a further two and a half lengths back, under Luke Dempsey for John Bleahan. Speed Dial who won at Gowran last Monday, was sent off the 7/2 favourite for Colm O’Donoghue and Pat Hughes but he never looked like winning and finished a poor tenth.
2012 Irish Grand National winning jockey Andrew Thornton, partner to winning trainer Claire Simpson, said afterwards; "He is a grand old horse. His owner is from outside Mallow and he is a bit sick at the moment so this will be a good tonic for him.
"He did it well and he likes it around here. He ran well here in the Paddy Power (beaten five lengths into seventh by Cross Appeal in the 2007 renewal) and he was second in a chase here last year. Claire has done a good job with him.
"He was a bit sick of the heavy ground all winter. He has had his problems but he seems to be over them now."
Stranraer, Scotland native Simpson trains in Dunderry, Co Meath and she previously pre-trained for Ian Ferguson and Ronnie Bartlett. This was her second success in the training ranks, her first coming at Dundalk in January when Enigma Code scored for her.
(Additional reporting by Gary Carson)
