Ningaloo Reef kept going well enough to hold on at Naas© Photo Healy Racing
He may have had ten goes before and have had the disadvantage of racing from a wide draw in fourteen but Ningaloo Reef overcame such negatives when bringing up a double for Wayne Lordan in division one of the Play The Tote Placepot Handicap at Naas. The Cork native had been successful half-an-hour previously on Alkazim
Lordan achieved the over 10/1 brace with an always prominent effort on Garvan Donnelly's Ningaloo Reef. This three-year-old didn't go unbacked (12s this morning into 7s) and once getting to the front from over a furlong out he did enough to fend off Wellmarked by three parts of a length. Go On Murt endeavoured to come with a run from off the pace but he didn't get the required luck in running and he finished fourth.
Donnelly said afterwards: "We've been trying for a while and we always thought there would be a day in him.
"I'm delighted for the lads (the Monday Night Syndicate). There's seven or eight of them in it and they're all friends and neighbours of mine.
"That grouping includes the publican from Gormleys in Garristown. They've been in horses a long time – they've never worked out – so it's great to get a winner for them.
"Wayne gave him a great ride and he could be one for Bellewstown – the local track." (GC & EM)
