Laughill Blake was surprisingly eliminated from the Dandelion Bar & Nightclub Easter Cup over 550 yards at Shelbourne on Saturday.
The Irish Derby winner led by almost a length into the first turn but Slippery Fred got inside him and bumped him out of the way.
Slippery Fred went clear of Sidarian Blaze down the far side, with Laughil Blake in third but he seemed to falter on the turn where his half-brother Laughil Duke got inside him and he eventually trailed home over ten lengths behind in fourth.
Meanwhile Slippery Fred, the first round standard setter, went on to score by a length and a half in 29.68sec.
Robert Gleeson’s Droopys Nidge clocked the fastest time of the night in the last heat when pulling clear from early leader August Rush at hallway to score by almost ten lengths in 29.52sec.
Blake’s half-brother Laughil Bolt led off the second turn in the second qualifier to hold the late challenge of Gaytime Hawk by a length in 29.95sec.
Graham Holland’s Coren Sky took the opening heat. The son of Ace hi Rumble didn’t break well but showed great pace to the turn and went clear. He eventually beat Highview Premier by a length in 29.78sec.
The meeting was delayed by well over an hour to serious problems with the hare.
