'We might go travelling' - Andy Slattery keen to explore international options with Naas specialist Sunchart after Devoy repeat

Sunchart continued his love affair with Naas racecourse as he landed his second Listed Devoy Stakes in a row for trainer Andy Slattery.

The eight-year-old doesn't find it easy to get his head in front, this being his third win on the Flat in 31 starts, but his consistency is admirable and he came good again at this track.

The trainer's son and namesake steered Sunchart into the lead past 15-8 favourite Trustyourinstinct shortly after the two-furlong pole and he had a commanding two-and-three-quarter-length advantage at the line from the staying-on Enfranchise.

Slattery is now keen to explore overseas options for the plucky Teofilo gelding, who has finished runner-up to top-class operators such as Kyprios and Broome in his career.

He said: "We might go travelling this year to somewhere like Germany, where he'll get soft ground over a mile and a quarter or a mile and a half. We're going to have to as he's an eight-year-old now."

Sunchart, who landed last year's Devoy by six and a half lengths, now has two wins and three places from six visits to Naas.

Slattery added: "He's never run a bad race at this track, so it's a pity there aren't more races like this, and he loves ease in the ground. It's great to have a servant like him."

East Hampton impresses

The David Marnane-trained East Hampton proved far superior to his opening mark of 89 with an impressive success in the Irish Racing Writers Association Ron McKnight Memorial Madrid Handicap.

Travelling powerfully under Luke McAteer, the 7-1 shot scored by a length and a half in an often informative race that has recent Irish 2,000 Guineas winners Paddington and Awtaad on the roll of honour.

East Hampton caught the eye in three strong maidens last season before making his breakthrough at the Curragh in October on yielding to soft ground. Having been fourth on his final juvenile start in a conditions race at Dundalk, he was gelded over the winter.

Marnane said: "The only time he encountered ground that resembled soft, he won on it. We took him to Dundalk the last day but he didn't like the surface, so we put him away for this.

"Six furlongs was as far as he'd gone, so the trip was a worry, but I was delighted to see the low draw and Luke gave him a fabulous ride."

Rowdy bolts home

Rowdy Yeats made an exciting start to his three-year-old campaign by bolting three and a half lengths clear in the 7f maiden under Jamie Powell for Noel Meade.

Powell was always travelling with plenty of verve at the head of affairs on the 5-1 shot, who shed his maiden tag after two runner-up efforts last season.

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