Double ‘Crossed’ at the Curragh
Sunday at the Curragh belonged to veteran trainer Dermot Weld and his long-standing owners Moyglare Stud Farm who captured the feature Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas with Homeless Songs. A third Classic success for Chris Hayes, the 11/2 chance built on last month’s impressive Leopardstown success with a stunning five and a halflength win over the Aidan O’Brientrained 11/4 favourite Tuesday to give Weld his fifth win in the face, 40 years to the day after the Wally Swinburn-ridden Prince’s Polly gave him his first. In all it was Weld’s 20th Curragh Classic and his 27th European Classic in all.
There was Tipperary success on the day as the Nathan Crosse-ridden Nectaris won the eight-furlong fillies’ handicap for Jessica Harrington. In the Alpha Racing colours, the 18/1 chance fended off the sustained challenge of the Ger Lyonstrained 5/2 favourite Juncture to win by half a length.
At the Curragh on Saturday, Joseph O’Brien and Cahir’s Shane Crosse combined for a popular success as Raise You ran out a hugely impressive winner of the Listed Orby Stakes for joint-owners Jonathan Palmer-Brown and Brian Gleeson, who was on television duties for RTE. A very strong 5/2 chance under Crosse, the six-yearold raced clear early inside the final furlong to beat his own stable mate Okita Soushi by three and a half lengths, a fair effort on his first start since winning the amateur Derby under Gleeson’s son John at the track last October.
Wayne Lordan made a flying start to Irish Guineas weekend at the Curragh late on Friday afternoon where he rode a winner for County Tipperary trainers Fozzy Stack and Joe Murphy. He partnered Stack’s Papilio to an impressive success on her racecourse debut in the six-furlong auction series maiden. The 9/1 chance came from off the pace to win by a length and three-parts from the Joseph O’Brien-trained Apache Outlaw. The Upton jockey then landed the first handicap of the weekend as Celtic Crown took the valuable eight-furlong affair for Fethard’s Joe Murphy. A 28/1 chance in the colours of owner/breeder Robert Moran, the five-year-old raced up with the pace and led inside the final furlong to win by a length and a quarter from the Johnny Feanetrained No More Porter.
Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore were winners at Downpatrick on Friday evening where Queen Jane took the opening maiden hurdle. A 7/2 chance in the colours of Angus Potterton, the six-year-old had plenty in hand as she beat the Oliver McKiernan-trained Will You Win by an easy four lengths. Jody Townend rode a winner for champion trainer Willie Mullins as 11/8 favourite Get Me To The Park saw off the Gordon Elliott-trained The Grey Dove by a neck in the concluding bumper.
Conditional jockey Eoin Walsh was first into the winners’ enclosure at Tipperary last Thursday where he teamed up with County Kildare trainer Katy Brown to take the two-mile maiden hurdle with 10/1 chance Must Meet Cecil. Walsh made all the running on the Tom Sheridan-owned four-yearold which was nicely clear at halfway and ultimately beat the Gavin Cromwell-trained 5/2 favourite Minella Youngy by two and a quarter lengths. It was his first winner of the new season.
Paul Townend and Willie Mullins struck with a long odds-on winner at the meet as the Kenny Alexander-owned La Prima Donna won the mares’ maiden hurdle. A 2/13 favourite, the five-year-old didn’t come off the bridle as she scored
by four and three-parts of a length from the Gerry Kelleher-trained 7/2 chance Emily Roebling.
To the delight of punters, Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore shared a double at the meet where both horses were winning favourites. The first of their winners was the Pimlico Racing Ireland-owned Coole Arcade which landed the two-mile handicap hurdle at odds of 100/30 with 7/4 shot Whacker Clan, in the colours of the Whacker’s Clan Syndicate, following up in the maiden hurdle over three miles. Amateur rider John Gleeson rode his first winner in his mother Claire’s colours as A Dream To Share impressed with a fourlength success in the concluding bumper. The 8/1 chance raced away
from the Willie Mullins-trained 4/5 favourite Rath Gaul Boy early inside the final furlong and the winning rider commented, “It’s very important to ride a winner in mam’s colours and it’s my first winner in them. It’s very sweet as all the family are here today.”
Although 4/9 favourite Relevant Range was turned over in the opening maiden, Paddy Twomey and Billy Lee were winners again at Cork on Wednesday week last, where 10/1 chance Open Market landed the five-furlong median sires series maiden on her first start. A first winner for Twomey for owners Newtown Anner Stud Farm, the two-year-old led a halfway and comfortably beat the Ger Lyons-trained Midnight Toker by three-parts of a length.
Meanwhile, Kilworth trainer Sean O’Brien won the mares’ maiden hurdle with Rockanrye at Killarney last Monday week, ridden by Mark McDonagh. Owned and bred by Patrick Murphy, the six-year-old recovered from a mistake at the final flight to beat Gordon Elliott’s What An Ocean by a length and a half at odds of 9/2.
UPCOMING FIXTURES
Limerick – Thursday, May 26 (first race 5.25pm); Limerick – Friday, May 27 (first race 5.10pm); Fairyhouse – Friday, May 27 (first race 5.20pm); Navan – Saturday, May 28 (first race 1.05pm); Punchestown – Saturday, May 28 (first race 1.55pm); Punchestown – Sunday, May 29 (first race 1.55pm).