BOLERO DANCER proved he is not just a Laytown specialist when arriving between horses to lead well inside the final furlong for a length win in the Billy McShane Memorial Handicap at a rain-lashed Bellewstown yesterday evening.
The nine-year-old, successful in four of the last five years on the strand, is improving with age and trainer Tom O'Neill outlined an interesting campaign afterwards.improving". He loves the sand at Laytown so we will bring him over to the all weather tracks in England."
Tom Taaffe plans switching Snow Falcon back to the Flat for a crack at the valuable GPT Qualified Riders Handicap at the Galway Festival after the four-year-old readily landed prohibitive odds in the opening Novice Hurdle.
Formerly trained in England by Michael Bell, the Norman Williamson ridden gelding made every yard of the running and coasted home for a 25 length win over Autobabble.
"He appears quite well handicapped on the Flat and will now go straight for the amateur handicap at Galway. He is suited at a strong pace, said Taaffe
There was a downpour for half an hour before racing, and the testing conditions proved ideal for Precise Direction in the Tattersalls Maiden. The Aidan O'Brien trained juvenile was driven clear from the distance by Seamus Heffernan for a 10 length win over Aisling Beag - the longest winning distance by a two-year-old in Ireland this year.
