Back Straight overcomes absence for maiden success Heavily-supported Back Straight (morning 5/4, to 30/100f) was the second consecutive winner at Punchestown today to overcome an absence, landing the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden for trainer Michael O’Callaghan and jockey Colin Keane. Golden Splendour had landed the earlier race following a 501-day break, while Back Straight reappeared having had his sole previous run at today’s corresponding meeting, 364 days ago. Runner-up in last year’s course run, Back Straight today made virtually all the running and held on well to score by 1.75 lengths from Saliba . Trainer O’Callaghan reported “I wasn’t expecting to wait this long for him but he’s a big raw horse who has taken a long time to come to hand this year. He got very weak in the spring and the early part of the summer, but we always said we’d take our time because we always liked him. “He’s a nice horse, we always held him in high regard and for him to come and be so professional after a year off the track was good. I’d imagine he’s going to come on for the run and Colin said he took a blow going through the line. “He’s very straightforward and hopefully we don’t have to wait another year. He’s a sound horse who just went weak, raw, and backward and he’s bred to take a bit of time. “We’ll see what mark the handicapper gives him and Colin said a mile-and-a-quarter is a good fit. He said you could maybe come back to a mile but that he relaxes enough that you could step up.” Quotes from Gary Carson
