Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
WELD WAS KEENE AS MUSTARD
Dermot realises big ambition
IT was another fine Breeders Cup meeting for Ireland in Keeneland over the weekend.
Dermot Weld and Aidan O’brien both savoured bigrace success thanks to Tarnawa and Order Of Australia respectively.
Weld, a winner all over the world, realised a career ambition to win on the Breeders Cup stage as Tarnawa came from last to first under an inspired ride by Colin Keane to beat Ballydoyle’s star mare Magical.
It was also Keane’s first Breeders Cup success, on only his second ride (partnered Siskin in the earlier Mile), and a chance ‘spare’ ride as Tarnawa’s intended partner Christophe Soumillon tested positive for Covid 19 and had to miss the weekend action.
Soumillon also lost out in th e Mi l e a s P i er re Charles Boudot deputised on 73/1 shot Order Of Australia (the second reserve), which spearheaded an amazing 1-2-3 for O’brien, beating Circus Maximus and Lope Y Fernandez.
In Navan ye st erd ay, Ronan Mcnally – famous for the recent exploits of Dreal Deal – bagged the biggest win of his training career.
The Jam Man, backed into 5/2 favouritism, coasted to an 18-lengths win in the €125,000 L a d b r o k e s Tr o y t o w n Handicap Chase.
Having his first run over fences since June of last year, the seven-year-old was prepped for the day by a recent win on the flat in York.
“He’s only a pony,” said Mcnally. “And Paul was brilliant, majestic on him. I’m so proud of the horse. I’d say he’ ll go back over hurdles now – he might go for a ‘fixed brush’ at Haydock or Grade 1 in Ascot. And another crack at the Stayers Hurdle is the plan.”
Townend had initiated a double when the Willie Mullins-trained N’golo dug deep to see off Annexation in the Grade 3 For Auction Novice Hurdle.
Beaten by Ballyoisin last year, hot-pot A Plus Tard again failed to land the
Grad e 2 To t e For tri a Chase, the 1/2 shot failing by a half-length to cope with Pat Fahy’s Castlegrace Paddy, ridden by Bryan Cooper.
Gordon Elliott doubledup with Stayers Hurdlebound Sire Du Berlais (Mark Walsh) in the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle and fencing debutant Easywork (Sean Flanagan) in the beginners chase.
Flanagan was also successful on Noel Meade’s Joshua Webb in the opening maiden hurdle.
Today, Dundalk stages polytrack action.
Ger Lyons, out of luck with Siskin in Keeneland, might land both two-yearold events on the card, with Sister Rosetta and Aikido, both ridden by Gary Carroll.
Sister Rosetta has been busy. But her third behind Mehnah and subsequent listed winner Fantasy Lady last time, entitles her to the vote in the 3.40.
Aikido failed by a halflength to Lightning Boltz here after a break and appeals in the auction maiden.