CELTIC HARP PLAYS A WINNING TUNE

By Graham Potter | Monday, July 25, 2022

When a horse wins on debut for a stable it is always a huge plus and David Vandyke added another name to the list of successes he has enjoyed in this category when Celtic Harp saluted in a Maiden Handicap over 1110m on the Poly Track at The Sunshine Coast on July 25.

The three-year-old son of No Nay Never actually started his career with Chris Waller. After only one run with Waller (for a fourth place), Celtic Harp then changed stables and moved to John O’Shea where he had a further three runs (all unplaced) before being sent north by his connections to join the David Vandyke stables at the Sunshine Coast.

The meeting on Monday, July 25 at the Sunshine Coast was originally scheduled for Gold Coast on the previous Saturday and with switch came a rash of scratchings across the meeting which meant that Celtic Harp only had to face three rivals on the day.

The betting … Celtic Harp was a $1.22 favourite … suggested Celtic Harp had little to fear in the contest … and so it proved as the Vandyke trained runner took no prisoners in the run, romping in pretty much untested by a widening 3.30 length margin.

Noel Callow had allowed Celtic Harp time to settle early, racing third of the four runners for the first half of the race, but he had Celtic Harp quickly up to second approaching the home turn … and then up into the lead by the 200m mark … at which time it was already ‘race over’ as Celtic Harp put that important first career victory in the bank.

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