Racing/Curragh Report: The English-based rider Willie Supple returned to the Curragh last night, principally to ride Kestrel Cross to victory for his old boss Kevin Prendergast in the valuable Goffs Challenge, and ended up scoring a 1,654 to 1 treble.
Restricted to horses sold at last September's Challenge Sale, Kestrel Cross paid off his 30,000 purchase price with a short-head verdict over the 20 to 1 English outsider Encanto to pick up the 76,700 first prize.
Tournedos, who had been predicted to be favourite, didn't start after being found to be lame just hours before the race, which left the Nerys Dutfield-trained Spirit Of Chester starting as market leader.
However, she was beaten before halfway and it was left to Nepro, trained by the Spanish-based Eddie Creighton, to bring even more of an international dimension to the finish.
Nepro's effort wasn't enough though and Supple forced Kestrel Cross's nose down when it mattered on the line.
"It's good to ride for the real boss again!" Supple exclaimed. "We had some great times together, like when Verglas won the Coventry Stakes (1996)."
There was a dramatic incident after a furlong when the Michael Halford-trained La Maitresse, racing in behind the favourite, crashed through the running rail and had to be pulled up.
Supple's luck looked to be in as Signora Rossa beat Addario in the mile handicap and he then added the mile-and-a-quarter handicap with another Con Collins runner, Soliza.
If the gamble in buying Kestrel Heights paid off then so did the gamble that generated around Indesatchel in the opening seven furlong maiden.
Some 20 to 1 in the morning quickly disappeared and the David Wachman-trained colt powered past the odds on Scandinavia to justify considerable stable confidence.
"I'd no doubt in my mind he would win. This is a good horse," declared Wachman. "I told the owners I thought he would win as he has always worked like a good horse. He's just a bit raw and has taken time to come to hand."
On the night that was in it, Wachman continued the sales race theme by nominating the Tattersalls Breeders Race at the track as Indesatchel's target.
Shane Gorey got the Dermot Weld-trained favourite Rich Sense home in the Apprentice Derby in which David Moran, on Silver Silence, had a nightmare, getting a slipped saddle at halfway, and then losing fourth place after not weighing in correctly.
