Mosie’s mighty day
Trainer’s first win in over three years
TRAMORE ON Thursday was a red letter day for Adamstown trainer Moses (Mosie) McCabe; he had his first winner for three and a half years when The Kings Baby (5/2) made all and romped home by ten lengths under promising young Clare claimer, Donie McInerney.
They were allowed an uncontested lead in the Tramore Supporters’ Club Maiden Hurdle and never saw another horse. The win prompted a memorable headline from the Irish Racing website: ‘Kings Baby leads Moses to the promised land!’
‘That was a long time coming!’ was McCabe’s understated comment. ‘It’s a long time since I’ve had a winner, but all the hard work paid off today.
‘She is owned by Mick Kenny from Tinahely, who is a sound owner and a gentleman.’
The King’s Baby had last run at Wexford in May when coming a good second in a two and a half mile maiden.
‘She was unlucky the last day and we gave her a break then,’ Mosie said.
Seán Flanagan was another runaway winner at Tramore on Henry De Bromhead’s Mullinavat (9/10), scoring by an eased down 23 lengths. It was worth Flanagan’s trip for this single ride on the card.
Jamie Codd eventually got the better of Nina Carberry in a bumper at Fairyhouse on Saturday after a string of recent seconds, but it took a power-packed last furlong to get up on Gavin Cromwell’s Biddy the Boss (15/8) after Carberry seemed to have stolen it on Moonlight Escape which had drifted from an opening morning price of 15/8 right out to 8/1.
J.J. Slevin, the three-pound claimer from Caim, had the biggest local win of the week at Limerick on Sunday in the €26,000 PriceWaterhouseCooper rated chase on Attribution (5/2) for Henry De Bromhead and Gigginstown.
He beat Ruby Walsh on the Willie Mullins-trained Childrens List by half a length, with Davy Russell trailing in third on Gordon Elliott’s well-backed Gigginstown favourite, Lieutenant Colonel (5/4 from 5/1 in the morning).
‘It was a super ride from J.J. and he battled it out really well and was very tough.
‘He was left in front a good bit out and J.J. really suits him and makes him attack his fences,’ said an impressed De Bromhead.
Aidan O’Brien contested just one race in England on Saturday, the Group 1 £250,000 Sun Chariot Stakes for fillies, and he duly collected with a gutsy Roly Poly (4/1) under Ryan Moore.
This moved Aidan to 23 Group 1s for the year, just two behind the long-standing world record held by American, Bobby Frankel.
It was a quiet start to the week and the old reliables set the ball rolling at Naas on Wednesday with a winner each for Aidan O’Brien and Jim Bolger, with Scoil Náisiúnta (13/2) and Flag of Honour (4/6) respectively, the O’Brien colt looking like a nice prospect for next year’s top races.
O’Brien sent out the week’s shortest-priced winner at Dundalk on Friday evening, son Donnacha steering home Declarationofpeace at a prohibitive 1/7.
Aidan sent a small team to Navan on Sunday, concentrating on the listed €47,000 Staffordstown Stud Stakes where he took first, second and fourth, winning with Bye Bye baby (5/4) under son, Donnacha.
BRITISH RACING
The jumps season is gradually taking off in Britain as the flat winds down. Tom O’Brien is getting into his stride and had winners on three days out of four.
He steered home Kayf Adventure (13/8) in a chase at Newton Abbott for Philip Hobbs on Monday, and won on Banditry (6/5) for Ian Williams at Southwell on Tuesday, both his only rides of the day.
He went to Huntingdon on Thursday and kept up the good work with a comfortable success on New Agenda (5/1) for Paul Webber, while Daryl Jacob got in on the act at Warwick on hot-shot Sceau Royal (1/3) for Alan King.
On the flat, Pat McDonald got on the mark on Compton Hill (5/1) at Nottingham on Wednesday for Hughie Morrison. Pat Dobbs was a surprise winner on Luxford (16/1) for Jim Best in the last at Chelmsford on Thursday evening.
McDonald gave a fine ride to Dominating (3/1) to score by a neck for Mark Johnston at Ascot on Friday in a two-mile handicap; he went on to Chelmsford for a couple later on without success.