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Mark Nunan

Mark Nunan

Protagonist makes a winning start for Harrington

Fri 19th Jun 2020, 20:36

Protagonist (noseband) and Shane Foley defeat Helvic Dream (pink cap) Protagonist (noseband) and Shane Foley defeat Helvic Dream (pink cap)
© Photo Healy Racing

Protagonist (3/1 jt fav) was a comfortable winner of the concluding MansionBet Proud To Support Irish 3-y-o Handicap over the extended 9f on his first start for Jessica Harrington.

The gelded son of Wootton Bassett had shown some potential in four starts across the water for Jamie Osborne last term, the pick of which was when not far off Royal Ascot runner-up Tritonic at Ffos Las.

In a race run at a muddling pace, he didn’t over-race for Shane Foley and picked up well to beat 5/1 chance Helvic Dream (conceding 18lbs to the winner) by a length and a quarter, with Too Soon To Panic (11/1) back in third. After two recent runner-up finishes at the course, Feminista (3/1 jt fav) didn’t perform on this occasion and finished in rear.

Assistant trainer Kate Harrington remarked: “He’s in again at Fairyhouse (next Thursday) and he’ll probably run if the ground is safe.

“He’s a real nice horse and since he’s come to us we’ve thought a lot of him. Hopefully he’s nice and progressive.

“He does like a little bit of an ease in the ground. We thought he might have been a handicapper for Ascot but coronavirus got in the way! It’s nice to have a winner for Michael Buckley again.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee

1st
3/1JFav
Tote €4.50 €1.90
2nd
1.25L
5/1
€1.02
3rd
2.75L
11/1
€3.70
4th
0.5L
7/1
bf
1.25L
3/1JFav
About Mark Nunan
Mark has followed racing since he was a teenager and worked for many years as a broadcaster with the Irish version of Racecall. He joined the Press Association in 2019 and is also a contributor to the Racing Post. A native of Kildare, he now lives in Sligo.