Layfayette continues progression in Mooresbridge Stakes

  • ala
  • May 2, 2022 3:57 pm

Meade gelding could have earned Group One tilt.

Layfayette came from last to first to bring up a hat-trick in the Coolmore Sottsass Irish EBF Mooresbridge Stakes.

Aidan O’Brien had won eight of the last 10 runnings of this Group Two contest, but his 5-2 favourite High Definition could not land a blow in fourth as Noel Meade’s five-year-old confirmed the form of their track-and-trip clash last month with authority.

Held up in the early stages by Chris Hayes, the 3-1 shot cruised into contention in a matter of strides approaching the final quarter of a mile.

He responded for his rider to keep on strongly in the closing stages and record a three-quarter-length victory over Bear Story, who produced a fine effort to outrun odds of 14-1.

Meade won last year’s Tattersalls Gold Cup with Hevic Dream, and admitted there will be a temptation to supplement Layfayette for the Group One prize.

He said: “He’s not in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, but we’ll have to think about supplementing him for it now. He certainly deserves a place in it.

“He’s in the Hardwicke and that is a possibility. He’s improving all the time and he was very good.

Connections of Layfayette could take the Group One plunge
Connections of Layfayette could take the Group One plunge (PA)

“As Chris said he nearly got there too soon. He’s beaten the same horses again but has beaten them better and I thought he travelled better today.

“We still think a mile and a half wouldn’t be a problem. I feel sorry for Oisin (Orr) because he won on him twice this year but Chris won the Lincoln and a Listed race last year and knows him well too.

“It would be an expensive call to put him in it (Tattersalls Gold Cup), but we’ll decide closer to the time.”

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