LEO TOO SHARP IN CHAMPION UNRACED

Ian Fortune

It’s been quite a start to the year for Pat Buckley and Ciaran O’Sullivan. 

The duo have already teamed up to capture the Easter Cup with Hopes Teddy and on Friday night they saw their promising youngster Unanimous Leo landing the €15,000 Champion Open Unraced Stake at Kilkenny. 

The early paced son of Glengar Bale and Nice Mystery was found in the market, going to traps the 5-2 joint second favourite behind Montana Shadow but it was immediately evident to his many backers that he was going to have a huge say in the outcome. 

With the trio on the outside of the track, including the favourite Montana Shadow and the well-fancied Callaway Five, missing the start, it left the door open for the three closest to the fence. Unanimous Leo had shown plenty of early speed in his three previous outings and it was no shock to see him powering up the fence to lead his rivals into the back straight. 

Lookandlep turned a close second with Burgess Mystery third but Unanimous Leo had no intention of letting his opportunity slip. Showing superb back straight pace, Unanimous Leo opened up a healthy lead into the third turn. Lookandlep remained second while Montana Shadow displayed big pace to go third, albeit with work to do. 

Despite Lookandlep closing on the run in, Unanimous Leo had done enough out front to secure victory. The October ‘23 whelp, who remains open to much improvement, kept finding to repel Lookandlep by three parts of a length in 28.96. Montana Shadow lost nothing in defeat a further two lengths down in third.