Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
KEANE FAMILY HAVE LAUGH AT CURRAGH
COLIN KEANE delivered Laughifuwant, trained by his father Gerry, with a perfectly-timed surge to land the €75,000
Paddy Power Irish Cambridgeshire at the Curragh yesterday.
The 14/1 shot came from the rear of the field to foil the Sheila Laverytrained pair Quizical and Breaking Story.
The winning trainer said: “He’s a good horse on soft ground – the softer the better for him – and it’s great to have one like him. We changed tactics, to get the trip, and it worked out perfectly. Colin was very good on him.
“We were waiting for the ground. He went to Galway, without a run, and ran a blinder. And that put him right for here.”
The progressive, Joseph O’brien-trained Thundering Nights turned over even-money favourite Albigna in the Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes, one of three Group 3 events on the card.
Ridden by Shane Crosse, Nights went for home approaching the furlong-pole and, when pressed by the runner-up – a Group 1 winner last autumn – found plenty to score by a length and a half, with Epona Plays earning valuable black type in third spot.
“She’s improving and getting bigger and stronger all the time,” said O’brien’s representative Brendan Powell. “Shane said she was very relaxed and stuck at it well when Albigna challenged. She loves that ground and has a great attitude. And she should stay further.”
Both Group 3 events for juveniles were won by maidens. A full-sister to Found, Divinely broke her maiden tag when digging deep to see off Ahandfullofsummers in the Flame Of Tara, second leg of a two-year-old double for Aidan O’brien and Wayne Lordan, initiated in the opener by blinkered-forthe-first-time Brazil.
The Round Tower produced the shock of the day as 66/1 shot New Treasure, ridden for Jim Bolger by Kevin Manning, wore down favourite Teresa Mendoza to triumph by a half-length.