Flaming Moon

Flaming Moon ran a big race to finish second in the three-year-olds’ six-furlong handicap from his low draw.  The field split into two groups, with just five horses going far side and the other 12 coming near side.  Flaming Moon disputed the lead in the far side group with favourite Nullifier, but it always looked like the near-side group were in front.  Flaming Moon picked up well for Robbie Colgan at the two-furlong marker, he and Nullifier came away from their three rivals over there, and, from the furlong marker, he started to come away from Nullifier, and challenge the two horses who came clear on the near side. He ran all the way to the line too, he got past Taggalo for the runner-up spot, and he just failed by a half a length to catch the winner Big Gossey.

This was Matthew Smith’s horse’s seasonal debut, and it was just his fourth run.  He didn’t make his debut until last September and, winner of his maiden over five and a half furlongs on soft ground at Navan last October, this was a good start to his three-year-old campaign and he should be able to build on it.

The Curragh, 27^th June 2020