Touch The Moon Claims Victory in Thriller The Chris Hayes-ridden Touch The Moon (15/2) was victorious in what was a thrilling finale to the Red God Premier Handicap at Dundalk. Last seen finishing eighth in Galway, the son of Sea The Stars was always tracking the Ross O’Sullivan-trained Follow Me, who led them all the way, and it looked for a long time that he would not come back to the pack. But in the last 50 yards, under a strong drive, Touch The Moon got up to keep the Ado McGuinness-trained Star Harbour at bay by half a length. Gary Bannon, assistant to winning trainer William Durkan, explained "He was very unlucky in Galway, he was probably going to be placed in the race on the Friday and got interfered with late on. He wasn't beaten overly far on kind of poached ground which wouldn't be ideal for him. "It was a small entry for this, and he had only ever run once on the all-weather. He's done it quite well, so I'm delighted for the lads. "He ran in Leopardstown and made absolutely ridiculous fractions that day in front in the ladies' race and still ran a great race. "He's a great money-spinner and he's very honest. He will go back over hurdles - he wants top of the ground, and he never really got it over hurdles. He was third behind Talk The Talk in a maiden (Limerick). He's a nice horse. "He's a very happy horse and he likes getting out to the field and maybe just enjoys our smaller establishment. "We'll go as long as the ground is fairly quick. When the ground kind of goes on us, we will stop with him." (Quotes by Michael Graham)
