Dresden keeps Kingdom Cup at home

DRESDEN CALL, trained in Tralee by Johnny Kelliher for the Dublin-based Lixnaw native Josephine McCarthy, captured his second All-Age Cup when lifting the Kingdom Cup and the €3,500 purse at Ballybeggan Park yesterday.

Having scored Champion Stake points at Ballyduff in mid November, Dresden Call started the 3/1 long-odds favourite on Monday. He survived a stiff test to beat Toast Master (a finalist at Rathkeale) before sending home Avenue Ando (½l) to reach the quarter finals. He led by three lengths to oust the Castleisland Cup winner Cryptic Rebel while the Doon All-Age winner Apple Dreamer was his next victim.

In the final Dresden Call took control early to lead by four lengths where it mattered to collect the points at the expense of the Lixnaw-owned More Dorado View.