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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Defan gives McGrath his fourth winner

Tue 3rd May 2022, 20:39

Defan comes in well clearDefan comes in well clear
© Photo Healy Racing

Defan readily accounted for his rivals in the KPMG Handicap Chase at Ballinrobe.

Derek McGrath had him tracking the leader Jack Holiday who had a propensity for jumping left.

Jack Holiday made a mistake three out and inconvenienced Defan but the pursuer didn't lose any ground and soon closed right up on the leader.

Defan went on approaching the penultimate fence and put in a good jump which enabled him to move clear by the last.

The 7/1 shot negotiated it well and strode away by nine lengths from Nelly's Money (9/2). Jack Holiday (20/1) dropped to third.

McGrath said: “His first two jumps were a little bit big and I was hoping he’d come down a bit for me which he did. He was brave when I needed him.

"There was one fence when the leader (Jack Holiday) jumped across me and we almost clipped heels but apart from that it all went fairly smoothly.

“That’s my fourth winner on the track.”

Additional reporting by Mark Nunan

1st
7/1
Tote €11.60 €3.50
2nd
9L
9/2
€2.20
3rd
1.5L
20/1
€5.00
bf
0.5L
7/2Fav
About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.