Dark Viper rewards patience with elusive win Dark Viper has proved a really frustrating sort to follow but finally got his head in front when taking the Legacy Wine Bar Handicap at Leopardstown. The Jessica Harrington-trained grey gelding filled the runner-up spot for an eighth time in the space of 12 months when reappearing at the Curragh a fortnight ago. The 5/1 shot challenged between horses over a furlong out and kept on well under Shane Foley inside the final 100 yards to beat Artful Approach by three-quarters of a length. Expound finished just a neck further back in third. Harrington said, “I thought he’d never get his head in front, and he was going up and up in the handicap as well. “He had a nice draw and was sitting there waiting. Luckily the gap opened, and he was able to take it. “I’ve had blinkers on him, cheekpieces on him, we’ve tried everything, and he did it today with nothing. “We’ll keep him at seven furlongs or a mile and hopefully he’s got a taste for it now.”
