Lynwood Gold stuck on well to beat Mirann in the Sky Bet Ebor Trial Handicap at the Curragh on Friday night.
Jessica Harrington’s grey son of Mastercraftsman challenged between horses under Tom Madden two out and hit the front before the final furlong, while staying on well to repel the late challenge of Mirann.
Ben Coen dropped Mirann right out at the back in the early stages but he travelled really well and picked up nicely when asked to challenge down the outside.
He came from last to second in the style of a very good horse – perhaps a Sky Bet Ebor horse – but he couldn’t find a way by the winner on the night.
Sky Bet go 14/1 about Mirann for the Sky Bet Ebor at York next month, with the winner, Lynwood Gold, quoted at 16s.
Spokesman Michael Shinners said: “That was a fantastic trial for the Sky Bet Ebor, the first one we’ve had in Ireland and well done to Jessica Harrington on her success.
“We’ve got Mirann slightly shorter in the Sky Bet Ebor betting because of the way he came from last to second and also because he’s more likely to get in being rated 98 in Ireland before this race.”
Make A Challenge battled hard to land the Listed Sky Bet Midsummer Sprint Stakes for Denis Hogan and Joe Doyle.
The five-year-old sprinter was a disappointing sixth in the Greelands Stakes last time out when sent off the 11/8 favourite but he bounced back to winning form after a real tussle with Johnny Murtagh’s Urban Beat.
Urban Beat travelled best of all and challenged between the winner and Buffer Zone, looking the likely winner late in proceedings.
However, Make A Challenge dug really deep to battle back and get his head back in front on the line.
Earlier on the card, Nordic Passage won the Sporting Life Fast Results Handicap for trainer Johnny Levins and jockey Derek O’Connor.
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