Leopardstown option for Tango Intense Tango could take her place on Irish Champions Weekend after gamely made all the running to justify Karl Burke claiming Clifford Lee for the ride in Haydock's 32Red Casino Handicap yesterday. Lee, who was originally pencilled in for Iain Jardine's Shrewd in the race formerly known as the Old Borough Cup, put up 3lb overweight on Intense Tango (12-1) but thankfully for connections, that did not prove the deciding factor. The five-year-old mare was all out to hold the late thrust of Montaly after seeing out the stamina-sapping mile and three-quarters in deteriorating conditions. Burke said: "We were worried about the ground, but we thought we might get an easy lead. I told him not to pull her around as she'd had a little wind operation. Once she got an easy lead the plan was to nick a couple of lengths. "He's a very good young rider and has good hands. He only needs two or three more winners to lose his 7lb claim. He's a bit on the heavy side but he's young and hasn't quite worked out the right diet." He added: "She could go Leopardstown's big meeting next week. There's a one-mile-six race there."
