Orandi lands another big pot at the Curragh Orandi has proved a tremendous servant to connections and recorded his third Premier Handicap win when coming from a seemingly impossible position to take the €150,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Northfields Handicap at the Curragh. The Tony Martin-trained gelding, who won the Lincoln here last year and also took the Colm Quinn BMW Mile Handicap at the Galway Festival this summer, had most of his 21 rivals ahead of him over a furlong out. However, the eight-year-old produced a tremendous burst on the outer under Ronan Whelan, replacing the sidelined Robbie Colgan, to get up close home for a half-length verdict over fellow 40/1 chance Lord Massusus. Johnny Soda was a further three-quarters of a length back in third with Summer Is Tomorrow in fourth. Martin said, “What a little horse. A great man from Trim, CJ Murtagh, and his assistant ‘Chivers’, John Andrews, two great fellows. It couldn’t work out for a better man than CJ. Chivers is the racing manager! “We were stepping up to a mile-and-two and we just didn’t know. It was a trial and error situation. “I just said to the boys that he was in great order and would run a big race but didn’t know whether he’d get that extra two furlongs. I thought he would because he has a relaxed way of racing. “The jockey was absolutely superb. I thought we were a bit far out of it, but he knew what he had under him and fortunately enough it worked out. “We got him from France, and it took him a year-and-a-half to get moving. He was very jarred of his action. Fortunately enough it all came right. “The plan was to go to Ascot for the mile, but when we get a mile-and-two now I don’t know. “I feel sorry for Robbie Colgan, he’s in a bit of bother at the moment but hopefully it’ll all pass. He’s a great man.” Quotes by Gary Carson
