Peacock ruffles Budgie’s feathers

THE high flying Fat Budgie had his wings clipped in the last second round heat of the Macroom Motor Services Stakes at Curraheen Park on Saturday when the Paul Hennessy juggernaut was unable to maintain the pace of recent weeks.

Fat Budgie, undoubtedly the star of Hennessy's purple patch for the past few weeks, was a 1/2 chance to go in again. He was well enough away but showed none of his usual early zip and, after a rough passage to the bend, was last and in big trouble at the opening corner.

He made up some of the leeway down the back straight but the joint national record holder for the standard trip never really threatened to get into the shake-up (cause not helped by being carried wide at the third bend by the reserve Civil Rights) and in the end could only finish fourth and made his exit from the competition.