Anchor grabs narrow verdict in thrilling Naas finish

Gary Carson
November 6, 2022 5:00 pm

November Handicap glory for Pat Fahy’s runner.

Pat Fahy was thrilled to see Drop The Anchor get his career back on track with a last-gasp victory in the Colm White Bookmaker November Handicap at Naas.

The JP McManus-owned eight-year-old had failed to get his head in front in 10 starts since landing a valuable handicap hurdle at the 2021 Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown and had finished well beaten in three Flat starts this autumn.

But under a cool ride by Niall McCullagh in testing conditions, Drop The Anchor showed his true colours in getting up late to deny My Mate Mozzie and Powerful Aggie by a neck and the same.

“He was tough, it’s great that he came back to himself as he was struggling to get his form back,” said Fahy.

A thrilling finish to the @cwhitebookmaker November Handicap sees Drop The Anchor power between rivals and gets up to score under the guidance of Niall McCullagh for trainer @fatpahy152 🥇 pic.twitter.com/CvDDgLwOhY
— Naas Racecourse (@NaasRacecourse) November 6, 2022

“He was running well but not getting anywhere and a lot of my horses were doing the same. That kind of makes up for the whole summer because I had very few horses to run.

“Between one thing and another it was quiet and to get this last big handicap, I can’t believe it. He ground it out well.”

There was an even closer finish to the Listed Finale Stakes, with Dermot Weld’s 13-8 joint-favourite Duke De Sessa pipping Sunchart by a short head under Chris Hayes.

Weld said: “It was a very good performance from a three-year-old under top-weight. The second horse is a five-year-old and as Chris said, it’s November ground.

Duke De Sessa after winning at Naas (Gary Carson/PA)

“He’s performed well all year, he was fifth in the Guineas and has been on the go since April. He’s a tough horse.

“He ran a very good race last time and was a bit unlucky not to win in France – he was only beaten a nose and half a length and came from way off it.

“He deserved to go out with a big win again and he’s done us proud during the year. He’s a multiple Group winner and we’ll look to be having a very major campaign with him next year. He’ll be doing a bit of travelling.”

Trainer Johnny Murtagh and jockey Yudish Geerdharry after winning the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Birdcatcher Premier Nursery Handicap with Wave Machine (Brian Lawless/PA)

Yudish Geerdharry enjoyed a red-letter day as he rode his first winner aboard Wave Machine in the prestigious Birdcatcher Nursery.

Trained by Johnny Murtagh, the 9-1 shot came home a length and three-quarters clear in the hands of 10lb claimer Geerdharry.

Murtagh said: “It’s a first winner for Yudish, he’s a very good young lad. I have two young lads Michael Beresford and Yudish and they are watching Jamie (Powell) and they are coming along in leaps and bounds. Hopefully you’re going to see a lot more of them over the winter months.

“He had a very good draw and I said to him to be patient and wait for the gaps and when they come don’t go too soon. He rode to perfection.”