Roosevelt steps forward to land Leopardstown maiden win For the second race in succession, a horse who had shown little on his initial outing improved significantly for the experience, as the Aidan O'Brien trained Roosevelt ran out a game winner of the Captain Dara Fitzpatrick Memorial Maiden at Leopardstown. Having failed to beat a single rival on his introduction at this track last month, the Frankel colt looked much more like the finished article here. In front from the outset, Wayne Lordan bossed the race, dictating his own fractions at the head of affairs. Pushed along entering the home straight, he briefly looked in trouble, as market leader Vince Lombardi loomed up travelling strongly. However, while the latter had no more to offer from a furlong out, the Joseph O'Brien trained Delta kept on strongly inside the last 150 yards to get within a head at the line. Chris Armstrong said: “Wayne gave him a lovely ride. He steadied it up and got the fractions spot on and stretched on at the line. “In fairness he ran here the last day and Declan spoke highly of him. “He’s a big burly colt and he’s still carrying plenty of condition even today. He’s stepped forward from the last day and will step forward again. Wayne said he had two good blows before the line. “He’s a horse that stays well and has all the right entries. “He could come back here for something like the Nijinsky and could end up an Irish Derby type or the Queens Vase for Ascot. “He’ll strip fitter again so there is more to come from him.” Additional reporting by Alan Magee.
