Colin Keane sends Sagittarius Rising home© Photo Healy Racing
Sagittarius Rising found plenty for pressure to give Colin Keane a double on the Fairyhouse card.
The five-year-old gelding raced in a close second behind Swiss Army Officer and hugged the rail in picking up the lead at the halfway stage of this seven-furlong handicap.
Sagittarius Rising increased his lead and was ridden at the two pole. He was out in front in the final furlong but 10/1 shot Tai Sing Yeh stayed on down the centre of the track to provide a challenge.
The runner-up couldn't reach the winner, though, and was three parts of a length in arrears of the nicely backed 15/8 favourite at the line. Born Invincible (10/3) kept on nicely for third, a further length and a half back.
John McConnell said: “He deserved that and has put a few good runs together. He handles the slow ground well.
“Colin thought he might have the speed for six on slow ground so that’s something to think about. It’s nice to get his head in front for the year as he’s probably not a Dundalk horse.
“He probably gets a mile but has sharpened up his last few runs.”
Sagittarius Rising had finished third in his last couple of starts in Tipperary and Cork.
Jockeys' title race leader Keane moved onto 92 winners for the campaign, seven ahead of Shane Foley who won the preceding race on the card.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
