Viva Devito and Jody Townend© Photo Healy Racing
The 5/6 favourite Viva Devito was an effortless 16 length winner of the Garrarus Beach (Ladies Pro/Am) Flat Race in the hands of Jody Townend.
Fourth in a Punchestown festival bumper for previous trainer Gearoid O’Loughlin, the Malinas gelding settled better than he had on that occasion in a first-time hood, albeit he still raced keenly enough.
Having tracked the leaders, he took the lead over half a mile out and was quickly well clear of his rivals. Bugs Moran came through in the final furlong to finish a remote second.
Willie Mullins trains the winner for Chris Jones.
Townend remarked: “He’s a big galloping horse. He’s still a big frame and is going to fill out again next year. He’s definitely one to look forward to for the future.
“For a big horse he handled the track better than I thought. He ran pretty free the last day but the hood seemed to do the job on him today and he settled well enough.”
Quotes from Alan Magee
