It's Playtime at Leopardstown The Gordon Elliott trained Playtime stepped up on a promising recent effort over flights when easily landing the Adare Manor Opportunity Maiden Hurdle at Leopardstown. Third at Thurles last month, the West Of The Shannon Syndicate owned gelding went two places better under Josh Williamson. Prominent throughout, the 7/4 chance moved second travelling noticeably well after the penultimate flight. Heading leader Ehteyat on the run to the last. Playtime kept on strongly to win by eight lengths. Aidan ‘Mouse’ O’Ryan said: “He’s a grand horse, we bought him out of Andrew Balding’s. “He was very keen early on and he was a bit keen there again today but he’s a grand horse. I’d say it wasn’t the strongest race in the world. “One of the owners is from Tipperary but three Irish-American fellas own him as well, from New York and Florida. Former jockey Mark Madden is involved. “The plan will be to go to Far Hills in October. He’ll pay his way during the summer, he wants better ground than that. We’ll probably go back on the Flat as well. “Mark is from Galway and he’s christening his child on the Sunday before Galway this year so I’d say we’ll probably have to land there!” Additional reporting by Gary Carson.
