Yashin and Shane Foley come home clear of their rivals© Photo Healy Racing
Yashin completed a quick double for Shane Foley and Jessica Harrington as he comfortably accounted for his three rivals in the Fund A New Home For Festina Lente Handicap.
An eye-catching fourth on his most recent start, the son of Churchill was making his handicap debut this afternoon and was upped in trip to a mile-and-a-half for the first time.
Sent off an 11/4 chance for the Tom & Gerry Met Mickey Syndicate, he raced in third and was pushed along approaching the straight.
Ridden to challenge a furlong and a half from home, he got to the front inside the final 200 yards, keeping on strongly to score by three-and-a-quarter lengths. Chaos Control came through to take second, while the front-running Ghasham who was returned the 7/4 favourite, was a disappointing last.
"He was good. We went from a mile to a mile-and-a-half and it probably looked a bit stupid but we knew after the last day that he really needed to go a distance," said Harrington who took the previous contest with Fumata
"There was no maiden coming up for him so when this three-year-old only handicap came up we thought this was where he should be, because we thought he was probably quite nicely handicapped.
"We'll take it step by step, I don't think the handicapper will be very nice to him!
"He's got his win now and Gerry (Byrne) bred him too so it's great for him.
"We liked him last year and getting him gelded during the winter was the making of him."
STEWARDS REPORTS
J. Coen, rider of Ghasham trained by Joseph Patrick O'Brien, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount hung off the bend turning in.
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined Ghasham, trained by Joseph Patrick O'Brien, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be post race normal.
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer reported to the Stewards that Enthrallment trained by D. K. Weld was found to have lost its near fore shoe in running.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
