Maxwell Smart gets deserved win to his name A runner-up three times in recent months, Maxwell Smart got a deserved win to his name in the concluding Grant Thornton Handicap. A close fourth on his most recent start at Navan last week, the Tom McCourt-trained four-year-old was sent off a 11/2 chance this evening. Settled in mid-division by James Ryan, the 50-rated bay took closer order on the outer with over three-furlongs to go and was pushed along to lead from the furlong pole. Soon ridden, he battled on gamely in the closing stages, holding off the effort of Tomahawk King (8/1) by a neck, with a further two-and-a-quarter length gap back to Mischief Man (3/1f) in third. "Very consistent and deserved to get his head in front. He was just getting nabbed and never beaten that far," McCourt remarked. "He got a good hike for being second down in Bellewstown and I thought he might struggle after that, but the race went nicely. "There was a nice pace and we weren't sure if there was going to be pace in it - he needs something to aim at. He finished well, I was hoping that he would last out - we were wondering did he want to get to the front as a horse finishing second three times. He battled well enough there. "He's definitely going to pop a hurdle, he ran over hurdles earlier in the year on heavy but he won't want soft. I'd say we will go to Bellewstown as there is a race for him at the end of the month." STEWARDS REPORT * C.D. Hayes, rider of Tomahawk King, trained by Thomas Coyle, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount leaned right in the straight. Additional reporting by Michael Graham
