A Fairy tale for Weld as he strikes Gold in Concorde for 12th time

DERMOT WELD won the Coolmore Stud Home Of Champions Concorde Stakes for a remarkable 12th time since 1983 when Yulong Gold Fairy took the Group Three honours at Tipperary yesterday.

The Curragh handler last claimed the prize with Big Break in 2013, and Yulong Gold Fairy (9/2) bridged the five-year gap with a game performance.

Shane Foley produced the threeyear-old filly late on to hit the front, where she was all out to hold the Jim Bolger-trained Smash Williams by a head. Flight Risk, also from the Bolger stable, was just half-a-length away in third place.

Weld sad: “This is the fifth time I’ve won this race in the last nine years. She loves that ground and is a very consistent filly.

“She won a big two-year-old race last year and won the Listed Corrib Stakes at Galway. She has been multiple Group-placed and she is exceptionally brave. That’ll be it for her for the year and I’ll speak with her owner and hopefully she’ll stay in training next year.”

Weld was also responsible for fifthplaced Imaging, who was sent off the 11/4 favourite.

“Declan (McDonogh) said on the very testing ground he tired a furlong and a half down,” he said.

“He’ll go for the Knockaire Stakes at Leopardstown in two weeks’ time. I’m very pleased with him and he’ll be back to be a very decent horse.”

Bedrock (12/1) gave Scottish trainer Iain Jardine a notable triumph when landing the Grade Three Horse & Jockey Hotel Hurdle in the hands of Rachael Blackmore.

Leading at the second-last flight, he did not jump the last smoothly, but he stuck on strongly to score by four-and-a-half lengths from Plinth, with Wicklow Brave third.

“He had a very good run in the Galway Hurdle and it was a good performance today,” said Blackmore. “He was a little bit in my hands, but got the job done and Iain had him spot on for the day.”

Blackmore was completing a double as she won the opening maiden on the Flat on Micro Manage (11/2) for Willie Mullins.

Mullins bagged a double of his own when Quick Grabim landed the Grade Three Joe Mac Novice Hurdle.

Le Richebourg scored a likeable victory in the Like A Butterfly Novice Chase. Successful at Listowel four weeks ago, the Joseph O’Brientrained five-year-old had no problem tackling Grade Three company.

The 11/8 favourite was produced by Barry Geraghty to lead before the final fence and go on to score by seven lengths from Robin Des Foret.