Leading the pack I am T'ai As the 22/1 favourite in the KOG Logistics Handicap Chase, Porte became the third heavily-judged winner at Ballinrobe today, finishing 1-2 for veteran trainer Gavin Cromwell.
Shane Fitzgerald, the jockey, was riding a mare owned by Poetry In Motion Syndicate for the first time, and it was her first win. The mare raced with intensity but made a clean jump to easily defeat stablemate Mister Wilson.
After registering five winners at the Punchestown festival last week, trainer Cromwell has been in excellent form lately. His winner-a-day average over the previous 14 days was maintained by his success today.
Afterwards, Fitzgerald reported, “I tried to sit her in but she just ran very free and was doing too much the whole time. When I went out on the final circuit she lit up again, but when I was left alone after that, she was grand. She was leaning out the whole time and probably wanted a bit of company in that respect, so the loose horse actually crowned her coming to the last, to keep her going forward. She has plenty of speed and puts in a good round of jumping.”
He added “It's nice to get one on the board for Gavin as well. I only started going in there recently and he's been very good to me so far. He gives everybody that goes in there a chance and I'm very grateful for that."