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I'm Spartacus makes the breakthrough on turf

I'm Spartacus clears awayI'm Spartacus clears away
© Healy Racing Photos

After six wins on synthetic surfaces, I'm Spartacus (10/3 favourite) gained a first win on turf in the six-furlong 0-60 handicap at Fairyhouse.

Fourth over course and distance last week, the Paddy and Conor McKeever-owned five-year-old tracked the leaders on the inner and was fourth passing the two-furlong marker.

Soon switched off the rail by Adam Caffrey, he grabbed the lead approaching the final furlong and ran on to score by two and a-half lengths from Glen Breeze

“He gave him a good ride, we probably just weren’t positive enough on him last week,” said McGuinness.

“He’s well down on the grass compared to the all-weather, he has very good all-weather form, so he was entitled to win off his mark.

“I was getting a bit worried because he wasn’t winning on the grass. He had a couple of half decent runs, but just wasn’t winning.

“It’s great for Paddy (McKeever), a former all-Ireland winner with Armagh. He’s away at the moment and is just on the way back home.

“Hopefully we can collect somewhere again with him.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

1st
10/3Fav
Tote €4.34 €1.50
2nd
2.5L
17/2
€2.40
3rd
0.5L
22/1
€4.00
4th
0.75L
9/1
€2.50
About Mark Nunan
Mark has followed racing since he was a teenager and worked for many years as a broadcaster with the Irish version of Racecall. He joined the Press Association in 2019 and is also a contributor to the Racing Post. A native of Kildare, he now lives in Sligo.