Premier Handicap success for Handani, Hayes & Weld Dermot Weld’s Aga Khan-homebred Handani (5/2f) landed Listowel’s John McGuire €50,000 Premier Handicap today, scoring under the trainer’s stable jockey, and local, Chris Hayes. Hayes, from nearby Shanagolden in Limerick, raced Handani on the pace throughout and while strongly challenged by Alphecca in the home straight, battled to a three-parts of a length success. Weld’s son Kris reported “the track is riding tight today but Chris got a lovely spot and we knew Handani would see out the trip well. It was his first handicap, which was a bit of a concern, but we were hopeful and thankfully he got the job done. “It is a family we know well and is the same family as Harzand, so we think he can improve. We’ll look for something similar now and easy ground is important for him in the weeks ahead.”
