Russian Soul (noseband) holds off the challenge of Timeless Call© Photo Healy Racing
After going close on a number of occasions this year, Russian Soul gain a deserved big race success, as he took the Listed Abergwaun Stakes under Shane Foley for Mick Halford.
The five-year-old son of Invincible Spirit, was sent off the 9/4 favourite with the defection of Cape Of Approval due to a stone bruise. Allegra Tak set a blistering pace in the early stages, as the winner chased the leaders and was fourth at the halfway stage.
He was being niggled along a fair way out, and he improved to challenge a furlong and a half from home.
He hit the front a furlong out, and kept on well from there to hold off the late challenge of Timeless Call by a neck.
The Reggie Roberts trained runner-up ran a cracker in defeat, and she was returned at 6/1 (12/1 in a place this morning) under Ronan Whelan, while Abstraction (10/1) was two and a half lengths back in third under Seamie Heffernan for Sarah Dawson.
Shane Foley said afterwards: "He deserved that. He has been placed behind some good horses like Sole Power and Shea Shea.
"He has loads of ability and he is probably better in better races. They went hard early on and I didn’t want to get detached as he sees it out it so well."
Mick Halford wasn't present but he said on the phone: "We will decide on Sunday morning whether to run him or not (declared for the Phoenix Sprint Stakes at the Curragh).
"It will depend on how he is. If the ground stays really quick, I would be tempted to run him."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
