Newcomer Aggression leaves it late to land gamble

Trainer Michael O’Callaghan landed the opening two-year-old maiden in Dundalk last night, not with 13/8 favourite Knoxville Bullet but with the gambled-on debutant Aggression.

Backed from as big as 16/1 in the morning and sent off at 5/1, Aggression came through late under Emmet McNamara to foil Sassy But Classy and the 13/8 favourite in a blanket-finish.

O’Callaghan admitted: “I was confident the other horse wouldn’t be beaten and that this fellow was a bit short fitness-wise. He was sick, with a dirty lung, and is only on the way back. But he has always shown plenty of speed at home and is a nice horse – he has a touch of class and a lot of raw speed.