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Templar edges apprentice thriller

Knights Templar (left) and Korbous do battleKnights Templar (left) and Korbous do battle
© Photo Healy Racing

The Morocco Sorec Apprentice Handicap at Leopardstown produced a thrilling finish with Knights Templar just getting the nod.

3/1 favourite Korbous gained a narrow lead a furlong out in the mile contest but was soon tackled by Knights Templar and Conor Hoban.

The pair went head to head in the closing stages with Pat Flynn's gelding having just a nose to spare at the line.

The 8/1 winner was recording his second win of the campaign having also scored at Roscommon early last month.

"It was a nice race for him as he likes small fields and we were hopeful today," said Flynn.

"He was in good form coming here but he's a horse that everything has to go right with. He maybe hit the front too soon but got away with it.

"He was second over 1m1f in Galway before and we'll see. He's not a horse to run back quickly."

1st
8/1
Tote €6.00 €1.80
2nd
nose
3/1Fav
€1.60
3rd
2L
14/1
€2.80
4th
0.5L
4/1
About Gary Carson
Gary started out as a trainee/assistant journalist with the Sporting Life newspaper and has worked in the racing industry for over 25 years. He has been with the Press Association since 2013 and won the Irish Field Nap Table in 2016. He enjoys working with horses and trained his own horse, Mamaslittlestar, to win a point-to-point in 2019.