Twilight Payment tough in front© Photo Healy Racing
Wayne Lordan made it back-to-back trebles at the Curragh on Irish Derby weekend with victory on Twilight Payment in the Group 3 Vintage Crop Stakes over a mile and six furlongs.
The seven-year-old gelding soon led but was pressed off the home bend by Falcon Eight
Lordan had more horse under him, though, and saw that rival off by the final furlong. He then saw Barbados coming with his run, but the leader kicked again and went on.
He stayed on well to score by two and a half lengths to justify 15/8 favouritism. The winner gave trainer Joseph O'Brien a double on the card.
Barbados held on to second at 20/1 from third-placed Sovereign at 5/2.
Joseph O’Brien said: “He’s a hardy horse. He got his own way in front and is a tough horse to pass. He has good form around here.
“We put the cheekpieces back on today as he was a little bit lazy at Leopardstown and I think they were a help today.
“He could possibly go to Melbourne but the way things are at the moment we don’t know if that is going to be an option with travel restrictions.”
Lordan also won on Serpentine and Buckhurst (trained by Joseph O'Brien) today. Yesterday, he booted home Merchants Quay, Delphi and Music To My Ears.
Paddy Power & Betfair cut Twilight Payment from 50/1 to 40/1 for the Melbourne Cup.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
