Yulong Gold Fairy (near side) beating Smash Williams and Flight Risk © Photo Healy Racing
Dermot Weld won the Coolmore Stud Home Of Champions Concorde Stakes for the eighth time since the race was moved to Tipperary in the 90’s as Yulong Gold Fairy took an exciting renewal of the Group 3 event.
The nine runners were stretched right across the course in the straight, and Shane Foley’s mount finished best to edge out the Jim Bolger-trained pair Smash Williams and Flight Risk
The 9/2 winner was available at twice those odds earlier in the day, while stable-companion Imaging (11/4 favourite) could find no extra inside the final furlong to finish fifth.
The Mount Nelson filly has been a good money-spinner for connections having won the valuable Foran Equine Auction Race Series Final at Naas last season, and also the Listed Corrib Stakes at this year’s Galway Festival.
Weld said, "This is the fifth time I've won this race in the last nine years. She loves that ground and is a very consistent filly.
"She won a big two year old race last year and won the Listed Corrib Stakes at Galway and has been multiple Group placed and she is exceptionally brave.
"That'll be it for her for the year and I'll speak with her owner and hopefully she'll stay in training next year.
"I was very pleased with Imaging and match-fitness told on heavy ground. Declan said on the very testing ground he tired a furlong and a half down. He'll go for the Knockaire Stakes at Leopardstown in two weeks time. I'm very pleased with him and he'll be back to be a very decent horse."
(TW & AM)
