Castle Black (IRE) Wins Booker T. Handicap

Last weekend here in Ireland was the running of the Grade III Booker T. Hanidcap for two year old fillies over the mile long turf course. The weather, as expected, held out for the remainder of the weekend and the turf course came up loisted as firm for Saturday’s race. The full field of fourteen fillies loaded into the starting gates, tensely waiting the moment when the bell would sound, the gates crash open and the fourteen fillies would come charging out onto the turf track.

Out to the lead early on was bellissimo owned Treviana leading by one and a half lengths. Back in second was Awesome Vision trained by seppy with piccolo87 trained and owned Castle Black (IRE) running in third. Running in behind at fourth and fifth were Red River War and Seabrook Star (GB) trained by catahoula and eirann2 respectively. Trailing the pack early on in the race was buttons trained A Wee Bit Irish (IRE) .

At the second call it was still Treviana in hte lead, now by two and one-fourth lengths over Awesome Vision . Castle Black (IRE) continued to run in third as did Red River War and Seabrook Star (GB) in fourth and fifth. A Wee Bit Irish (IRE) was starting to make a bit of a move and was now in lucky number thirteen, leaving topicount trained and owned Stars That Mystify to trail the field.

Next it was Treviana , still in the lead, but with it dwindleing to only a length and a half over the fast moving Castle Black (IRE) . Awesome Vision dropped back into third and Swanish Hell (IRE) , owned by derbyking9 , moved up into fourth. battlers owned Deforestation moved up into fifth with Red River War dropping back into sixth and former front runner Seabrook Star (GB) fading to seventh. A P In The Well , trained by broohar moved up one position into eithth and Augustus Bay , trained by catomine dropped back. Jaded Now owned and trained by philipj3 has moved up into tenth with Price Canyon , trained by lasthope1 fading. A Wee Bit Irish (IRE) continued to move slowly up, putting behind branrg trained and owned Ballimon (IRE) . Stars That Mystify continued to trail the field.

At last the fourteen fillies were catapaulting towards the finish and it was Castle Black (IRE) in a late charging finish to cross the wire first by a half a length. In second was laste closer Swanish Hell (IRE) and Treviana hanging on for the show.

Also rans include: Awesome Vision, Jaded Now, A P In The Well, Augustus Bay, Deforestation, Seabrook Star (GB), Red River War, Price Canyon, A Wee Bit Irish (IRE), Ballimon (IRE), and Stars That Mystify .