Cesarewitch the aim after Flare lights up Shelbourne Park

SEAN PARKER, fresh from his successful raid on Shelbourne Park’s Winter Racing Festival with Droopys Flare on Saturday night, has confirmed his plans following a memorable win for his talented stayer.

The St Leger runner-up, sent off 5-2 for the Championship 750, trailed her five rivals early, but when the field bunched out of the third turn, began to work her way into the contest and found a lovely path through on the inside at the final turn to storm home four lengths clear of Liam Dowling’s Ballymac Chantry.

Parker, who travelled back home in the early hours of Sunday morning, said: “What a night it turned out to be. I was in the infield at Shelbourne Park and you can’t always see what’s happening on the track, but when they passed me and I saw her last early, I thought, here we go, we’ve got our work cut out!“

"At that point I thought, given her stamina, she might run into the first three, but then the race got a little scrappy and she suddenly had a chance. Credit to the bitch, she has heart as well as class, and she never gives up.

“You’re racing against greyhounds with frightening four-bend speed – Liam’s dog has 27.92sec on his card for 525yds – and they take some catching, but in the end her stamina has kicked in.

“I’m sure some will crib the run and say she got the luck, but not every race is a clean-run affair and she did what she needed to in the circumstances.”

Parker reported Droopys Flare in great shape following her exploits as he added: “She travelled well there and back and to be honest I could race her this week, she looks so well.“But she’s earned a break, and I always said we wouldn’t go to Hove for the Ballyregan Bob race.

“The plan is to give her a bit of time now and then bring her back for the Cesarewitch at Central Park in January.

“She was beaten favourite in the final last year, so you could say it’s unfinished business. She likes the track, it’s a big gallop and the 731m trip is ideal, so that’s the target now.”

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