IRISH RACING
Karl Hedley assesses the latest action from over the Irish Sea
Tosen Lydia got the month off to a winning start at Bellewstown for Joseph O’Brien and Shane Crosse. The Japanese-owned filly got off to a winning debut in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Fillies Maiden over an extended seven furlongs.
She also landed a gamble for someone having been available at 14/1 in the morning compared to her returned SP of 11/2.
Her jockey got a nice run through on the inner to move into second a furlong out and, once she had negotiated the final road crossing safely, the daughter of The Gurkha readily cut down the front-running Cyclamen to score by a length and three quarters.
Joseph O’Brien sent out subsequent Group 1 winner Pretty Gorgeous to win the corresponding race last year and Tosen Lydia is entered in the Moyglare Stud Stakes in September. She also holds an entry in the Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes (Group 2) in late August.
“I’m pleased as it’s her first day at school and she’s done it well,” said Crosse. “I just tracked the fancied ones and she handled the track well down the hill for a filly as big as her first time out. I’m delighted the way she did it and I think she won a bit snug in the end.
“She quickened nicely through the last furlong and out over the road. Joseph’s horses usually improve from their first run and hopefully she will progress.”
Kevin Manning made his only ride on the same card a winning one when getting the Leanne Breen-trained That’s Mad up in the closing stages to land the five furlong Indaver Ireland Handicap at odds of 17/2.
The five-year-old gelding was switched right to challenge and went through a gap inside the final furlong, getting on top in the closing stages to beat the pace-setting Jungle Jane by half-a-length. Tide Of Time could find no extra in the final 100 yards, finishing a further length and three quarters back in third.
Winning trainer Leanne Breen said afterwards, “He ran very well here last year and was beaten by a good filly in A Step Too Far. In those better races it suits him as he has a better pace to aim at. He was very tough there today as it wasn’t straight forward for him. He’s done it well. He’s run against a lot of those horses before and they have beaten him, so to get up today is good and means that he’s improving.
“We’ll see what the handicapper does but there are plenty of races for him. We’ll keep him busy this year as he’s getting tougher and taking his races well.”
On the same day over at Tipperary, the hurdles action got underway. Norman Lee and Paul Townend combined with the ever consistent Sole Pretender in the Grade Three Grimes Hurdle over two miles. The 5/4 favourite landed the spoils to take his tally to six wins from nine starts over hurdles. Very few got into the race as Effernock Fizz and the winner disputed up front, tracked by Darasso, with the rest of the field well off the pace.
Townend, back in action for the first time since the Punchestown Festival having given his foot injury time to heal, kept his mount wide of Effernock Fizz who cried enough after three out and it was Darasso who gave chase from that point. Hard though he tried, the hooded Sole Pretender had enough in reserve to see off that one’s challenge by two lengths, with Modus (33/1) a distant third.
Winning trainer Norman Lee, based near Gort, County Galway, said: “To win our first Graded race is unreal and we are lucky to even have a horse to
contest one, never mind win one. He is a credit to his owner and the lads at home.
“We thought he might be a little short today but every time we think that, he is still good enough and is always there. Paul gave him a great ride and went on the outer for the better ground. He has a high enough rating and while he didn’t win by a lot, we will stay in graded company and think about a Galway Hurdle (fifth in the 2019 renewal). He shouldn’t go up.
“We have a dozen horses in at home, he is our stable star and I don’t think three miles worked at Grade 1 level the last day. Eventually next year we’ll go for a Grade 1 race again but maybe he is a horse who will win Grade 2s and 3s but we’ll keep dreaming with him. We are over the moon with him and Michael (Hogan, winning owner) is very important as horses like him are usually in big yards. We’ll treat him like the star he is for us”
Later on the card, Tucson Train lived up to all the hype as he justified odds on favouritism to land the Tipperary Town Maiden Hurdle (Div II), scoring for trainer Tom Mullins and his jockey nephew Danny Mullins over two and a half miles.
The son of Scorpion was second on his previous start at Punchestown on May 31 and was a little better than even-money following the withdrawal of Hallowed Star in the morning. He beat runner-up Narynkol by six lengths.
Afterwards jockey Mullins said: “Having the bit of room on the outside helps as he was tight turning for home at Punchestown and cowered out of it. He is a big horse who likes a bit of room. Flat tracks like this probably don’t bring out the best in him but hopefully later in the month there might be a novice hurdle with a stiffer finish that could suit him.”
The concluding Thank You To All The Frontline Workers Flat Race saw the favourite Sherodan make an impressive winning debut over two miles. Strong in the market all day, having been 5/1 in the morning, Peter McCarthy’s homebred was ridden with plenty of confidence by Patrick Mullins and cruised around on the bridle before being asked to go and win his race just inside the final furlong.
He found plenty and pulled five and a half lengths clear of Tom Sarah Evelyn. Winning trainer Peter Fahey reflected: “He is a nice horse, was doing everything right at home and we had a horse placed in a winners’ bumper at Down Royal (a fortnight ago) and that gave us a little bit of confidence with this lad.
“He is a nice horse, is only four so we won’t be rushing him and Patrick said the one thing he has is loads of speed. He could go back on the Flat or do whatever but we’ll enjoy it and to get a winner for the owners is great too and it’s their first horse with me. Hopefully he stays improving away. He is by Hillstar who has only had one runner, I can’t say anything bad about him anyway and he’s the only one I have. Brian O’Connell broke him and pre
trained him so did a good job as well.”
The following day back at Bellewstown Robert Whearty enjoyed the first winner of his career on Pretty Little Liar at Bellewstown.
The pair contested the second division of the extended mile and a half handicap that concluded the eightrace card. Pretty Little Liar chased the leaders in fourth outside the three pole and Whearty soon asked his mount to set off in pursuit of them.
The eight-year-old mare stormed to the front a furlong and a half from home but had Loudest Whisper attempting to make a race of it at the business end. The latter looked dangerous in the final 150 yards but couldn’t reel in the winner who kept going all the way to the line. The 4/1 winner beat the 4/1 runner-up by a length and three parts. Fast Celt was 10 lengths adrift in third.
Whearty (17) said: “I live in Bellewstown so it’s great to ride my first winner here. I only got my licence about four weeks ago and I’m apprenticed to Gavin Cromwell who has been very good to me.”
Winning trainer David Dunne said: “Robert used to ride out for me and started when he was about 13. I’m delighted for him. He has a lot of experience from pony racing and is very strong in a finish for a 10lb claimer.
“His father, Thomas, is a great man and brings him everywhere. He bought him a simulator for Christmas about two years ago and you can see the dividends that has paid. This was her seventh attempt at Bellewstown. I used to come here as a child so this is special for me. I’d two winners here last year so I kind of aim them at it.
“She was 4lb lower on the grass than at Dundalk and with Robert’s 10lb claim I felt she had a good chance. She jumps a fence as well and could go over to England and compete at a lower level when everything opens up. That’s her fourth win so I’m delighted with her.”
There was a sting in the tail for the young winning jockey though as the Stewards interviewed him, concerning his use of the whip in the latter stages of this race.
Evidence was heard from the rider who accepted he was in breach of the frequency section of the whip regulation and apologised for his actions. Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence the Stewards found Robert Whearty in breach of Reg.10. 3.(g)(frequency) and having taken his record into account suspended him for one race day.
The following afternoon at Naas, The Cola Kid was an 11/1 winner of the fivefurlong Summer Racing At Naas Apprentice Handicap.
A winner at Cork last term, the
Lethal Force gelding finished with a flourish to reel in Dragon Call after that one had asserted and gone a few lengths clear of her rivals two furlongs out. A neck was the winning margin, with Pretty Smart also coming home strongly to be just a nose further back in third. It was a ninth success of the campaign for winning rider Nathan Crosse.
Winning trainer Michael Browne said: “We thought he would need the run. He was a bit sick after the run the last day (tenth at Fairyhouse at the end of May) and I’d say he’s probably better fresh. He stayed at it well. Every time he has run up to now there was a problem with the draw but today everything worked to plan.”
Eventually a bit of rain fell at Limerick in the days that followed and Ramiro enjoyed the bit of cut in the round at Limerick by winning the Dooradoyle Handicap over seven furlongs.
Drawn on the inside, the Born To Sea gelding was always handy and came through to head the front-running Fridtjof Nansen a furlong out. The favourite, Wee Pablo soon gave chase but was a head adrift at the line, with Fridtjof Nansen another half a length back in third.
Gearoid Brouder, claiming 7lb, was on board the winner who was successful a couple of times on testing ground last season.
Winning trainer Ian O’Connor, based near Listowel racecourse, said: “I was praying for rain all weekend for him. I thought he had a very good run over a furlong shorter at Listowel and he was back to a winning distance today so was I confident as long as the rain came.
“It was touch and go, and he’s a nice horse so I’d like to mind him, but the rain came at the right time and it worked out. We’ll see what the handicapper does and take it from there.”
Later on the card Baseman (9/4) was given a confident ride by Oisin Orr to take the Raheen Maiden over a mile for trainer Dermot Weld. Orr, registering his twelfth winner of the campaign, bided his time on the Juddmonte-bred colt before making headway early in the straight.
The favourite, Lord Luker, had travelled well to hit the front at this stage but he was collared inside the final furlong as Baseman moved on to win by a length and a half.
The winner had gone close on his debut at Tipperary last year but lost all chance at the start when slowly away on his seasonal reappearance at Gowran.
The blinkers applied on that occasion were replaced by first-time cheekpieces here, and the son of Kingman and the stable’s dual Group 3 winner Big Break got off the mark at the fourth time of asking.
“They are getting into the ground and all the rain we got was a big help to him,” said Orr. “I travelled everywhere, quickened up nicely and when I did get there he was probably only doing enough.
“He was nice first time out, then he disappointed and he is coming back to form now. Hopefully he will progress and keep going forward.”
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