Tullyveery Lad finishes strongly to take Tramore feature Tullyveery Lad recorded his fifth career win when justifying good support in the featured McCarthy’s Irish Bar Lexington Handicap Chase on the final day of the Tramore Festival meeting. Big Island held a slight advantage when falling two out leaving Arrycan in front, but Tullyveery Lad was making relentless progress and landed in front over the last. The 7/2 favourite soon asserted under Donagh Meyler to beat Arrycan by four and a quarter lengths with Gabriel Ranger a further seven and a half lengths adrift in third. Winning trainer Ray Cody said, “We thought he might win this race last year. He was just unlucky that day, he made a bad mistake and gave young Paddy Hanlon no chance. It was just one of those things. "He is probably getting older and is probably not as quick as he once was. Today, everything was happening too quick. I knew if he could get in among them that all he was going to do was come home. I was afraid they might get away from him. “Once he started passing one or two coming up the hill he got competitive. I knew before turning in that he was going to come home, I was kind of hopeful enough. "2m6f is probably his minimum, he probably wants at least three miles. He loves good ground. He is a right horse and has been a right servant. If you had a yard full of him, you'd be flying. "The ground was very watered the last day at Wexford, and I don't think he was enjoying jumping on the loose ground. He jumped better today but he's just not the quickest to jump anyway. He is safe but he bumped into one the last day for sure. "It's a grand pot to win and he won here at the festival last year as well. We've no plan for him and we'll mix it between hurdles and fences over three miles." Quotes by Donal Murphy
