Johnny Murtagh’s Take Heart is set for one final attempt at the handicap level this season.
The four-year-old, who finished fifth of 22 behind Crystal Black as the favourite in the Northfields Handicap at the Curragh during Irish Champions Weekend last year, will target the same race next month.
Earlier this summer, Take Heart faced a challenging draw in the John Smith’s Cup at York, but he found more success at Goodwood. There, he claimed victory in the Chesterfield Cup, winning by a neck from Enfjaar under Ben Coen. He will now aim to close his season at the Curragh.
Barry Irwin, CEO of co-owners Team Valor International, remarked, “We’ve always held him in high regard, though he’s had a bit of misfortune earlier in the year. We’re planning to run him one last time this season in a valuable handicap during Irish Champions Weekend. He ran in it last year and performed reasonably well but appears to have improved significantly and is growing stronger.”
Irwin also noted, “We raced his dam, who won over 11 furlongs, and despite this horse being by Dark Angel, he seems to possess plenty of stamina.”