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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Ivy League seals treble for O'Brien and Moore

Mon 25th Apr 2022, 19:55

Ivy League drifts right when in charge in the closing stagesIvy League drifts right when in charge in the closing stages
© Photo Healy Racing

Ivy League maintained Aidan O'Brien's electric form when capturing the valuable Blackwater Handicap in Naas.

The 10/3 shot entered handicap company on a mark of 84 after winning his maiden by half a length on the Polytrack in Dundalk.

He veered right in that race and did the same here when comfortably in charge at the business end.

Ryan Moore switched him out from third on the rail with a quarter of a mile to negotiate and the pair made headway to head Fiach McHugh at the furlong marker.

Ivy League strode on in the final 100 yards and came in by three and quarter lengths from Fiach McHugh (13/2). Nectaris was another couple of lengths back in third at 18/1.

“He did it nicely. He’s a big strong horse. He was babyish when he got there in Dundalk and he was babyish here too," O'Brien said.

“He’s a big powerful horse that is probably going to progress. He’s just taken a while to get it together.

“I would think he’ll go for a Stakes race next. He’d have no problem stepping in there. I’d say he’d love horses to be going in front of him rather than getting there too quick.”

This gave O'Brien and Moore a treble on the card following on from Deneuve and Emily Dickinson Additional reporting by Alan Magee

1st
10/3
Tote €4.34 €1.65
2nd
3.25L
13/2
€2.75
3rd
2L
18/1
€5.06
4th
1.75L
11/2
bf
0.5L
16/5Fav
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.