Staton Powers to 100-1 Upset Victory at Down Royal
Staton delivered a 12-length victory in the concluding bumper at Down Royal on Saturday, returning at odds of 100-1 after spending that morning in a Templepatrick field. Ridden by Anna McGuinness and trained by Paul Traynor, the five-year-old gelding raced clear of the field to secure an unexpected success for the local yard, as Racing Post reported. Traynor, who owns the horse in partnership with Karen McNeilly, has since watched the race replay ten times.
Field Preparations Preceded Down Royal Success
Traynor has kept Staton since the horse was a foal, guiding his early career through point-to-point and hurdle starts. The gelding finished third in a point-to-point at Tyrella but arrived at Down Royal following two well-beaten performances over hurdles. Rather than an intensive stable routine, Staton spent Saturday morning grazing before making the 20-minute journey to the course, arriving at 1:00 PM for the afternoon fixture.
“He was in the field all morning, got pulled out at one o’clock and went straight down to Down Royal,” Traynor said. The withdrawal of the Gordon Elliott-trained runner Uncle Pad further boosted the trainer’s confidence that his stable stalwart could handle the conditions and run a strong race.
Tactical Ride and Strategic Positioning
McGuinness secured the ride on a horse whose everyday exercise is handled exclusively by his trainer. Traynor expressed full confidence in the gelding’s straightforward temperament prior to the race, noting that no one else regularly rides him. As the race unfolded, McGuinness settled the outsider near the front before drawing emphatically clear coming down the hill.
“On the day, watching them come down the hill, I said, ‘He’s going to run away with this,'” Traynor said. “He just carried her everywhere.” The performance marked a notable achievement for the small training operation, echoing Traynor’s previous success in April when Kershaw defeated the Willie Mullins-trained Lultimatom in a Kilbeggan bumper.
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