Perry Mason gets the verdict at Headquarters Perry Mason and Perfect Your Craft were one-two throughout the Keadeen Hotel Handicap and finished that way after a final-furlong tussle. Leigh Roche dictated off the front on Perry Mason and got after this mount outside the final quarter of a-mile. His partner found generously, however, he was still challenged by Perfect Your Craft at the furlong marker as the pair moved on from the field. Try as Perfect Your Craft did, he couldn't quite get level with Perry Mason who availed of the rail to keep his head in front. A late thrust from Perfect Your Craft forced a photograph, however, Perry Mason held on by a nose at 16/1 from the 4/1 favourite. Iron Fist was just over a length away in third at 11/1 with Fiver Friday completing the placings in fourth at 5/1. Maurice Ahern said: “I’m delighted. He’s due that and he was knocking on the door in some big premier handicaps. “He gave me my first winner here last year. I’m training exactly 12 months and he’s been good to me. “I have a couple of jumpers but I like the Flat. We had to move out of Cork because of rapeseed and I’m based in Kildare for the last four or five weeks. “It affected us big time. They came out of it, but there are still a few that wouldn’t be right and we had to let them off. “I’m right next to Kildangan Stud. We have good facilities, a swimming pool and a deep Wexford sand gallop. We have use of all the Curragh gallops, which is gold. “I’ve 14 in training and looking for more. There are plenty of empty boxes and plenty of horses there for people to get involved with. “I bought this lad in Tattersalls last July for 3,500gns. He had a real good maiden run against good horses. I went to look at him and said ‘he’s coming home’.” Perry Mason was a fictional American lawyer in a long-running TV series of the same name. Additional reporting by Gary Carson
