Captain's Affair beat Freedom Square and Zakhm (nearside) at Gowran© Photo Healy Racing
It's not surprising that any trainer would run their best prospects at a course like Gowran and after his High Octane won here on debut last September, John Murphy was at it again, sending out Captain's Affair to cause a 33/1 shock in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Maiden.
In previewing High Octane's prospects for the season ahead, Murphy (also bred Captain's Affair) lately said that he had "a very exciting bunch of two-year-olds."
Well if the Cork handler has many juveniles better than Captain's Affair then he certainly has plenty to look forward too.
An 18,000 Euro buy-back as a yearling and racing in the colours of Philip Caffrey, Captain's Affair was always well-positioned in a muddling affair.
The well-backed Freedom Square (7/4 this morning into 5/6) paid for his keenness in the latter stages and he was mown-down late. He eventually had to settle for third, a short-head and a head adrift of Captain's Affair and Zakhm who flew home.
Seamie Heffernan rode Captain's Affair and he said: "I decided to make it and I think the penny only dropped with him late. It's nice for him to win first time out." (DM & EM)
