Contrary To Law
Contrary To Law did well to stay on as well as he did and just get up to land the seven-furlong handicap that brought proceedings down at Fairyhouse on Wednesday. Settled in mid-division early on by Ben Coen, and along the inside, it didn't look likely when they turned for home and the leaders quickened from the front. He had to manoeuvre his way through traffic early in the home straight but, once taken towards the outside and asked for his effort, he picked up impressively. He went to the line strongly, coming from fourth place well inside the furlong marker to just get up on the line and win by a short head.
It was a game performance by Johnny Murtagh's colt. Owned and bred by Ballygallon Stud, he is half-brother to Irishcorrespondent, who won the Group 3 Leopadstown Guineas Trial for Michael Halford before being sold to Hong Kong where, named Exultant, he won give Group 1 races over distances from 10 furlongs to a mile and a half. Ninth on his racecourse debut for Ray Cody last year in the two-year-olds' maiden at The Curragh on Irish Oaks day that has been won in the past by several youngsters who have gone on to be top-class, he had shaped nicely in two maidens for Johnny Murtagh earlier this season, and he took a nice step forward here on his handicap debut. The handicapper raised him by 7lb for this win, which looks harsh enough on the face of it, he only got up to win by a nose and a head and a half a length, but he left the impression that he had a fair bit more than the bare winning margin in hand. Also, as a bonus, the runner-up Rappell won three days later at Limerick. He was 4lb well-in there, and he has now been re-assessed on a mark of 66, 9lb higher than he was at Fairyhouse. Contrary To Law should be well able for a mark of 77, and he has the potential to go well beyond that mark.
Fairyhouse, 8th July 2026
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