A TILT at the notable riches on offer in next month’s €120,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Ahonoora Handicap at Galway is next for Mokhalad after he led home a one-three for local trainer Damien English in the Drogheda Traders Handicap.
This Galaxy Horse Racing Syndicate-owned gelding was winning his third race of the season and, having struck twice in sprint handicaps, he showed that a mile was within his compass under a ride of some mastery from Chris Hayes.
The latter displayed every confidence in the 8/1 shot by dropping him right out and the Dubawi six-year-old rewarded his rider by producing a strong charge over the last furlong and a half that saw him defeat the 33/1 shot Emphatic by two and a quarter lengths.
“He’ll head to Galway. I was thinking about one of the smaller handicaps for him but after this he might sneak into the premier handicap (Ahonoora) on the Sunday,” reported English.
Earlier, the Hayes-ridden Sam Langford, who is due to come under the hammer at next week’s Tattersalls July Sale, recorded a timely success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden.
Kevin Prendergast’s charge had been placed at Limerick and Leopardstown on his first two starts and he duly lived up to his position as the 4/6 favourite to score by three and a half lengths. The Footstepsinthesand gelding is owned by the trainer’s wife, Lesley.
Diamond Hill set for Galway
Another with Galway on her agenda is the Willie Mullins-trained Diamond Hill (13/2) who returned from seven months off to take the Drogheda Traders Plate (Q.R.) Handicap.
A winner of a Galway maiden on her only flat outing, the Annette Mee-owned six-year-old dug deep for Patrick Mullins over the last couple of furlongs to nail favourite Party Playboy in the final yards.
“She didn’t handle the track that well which is surprising given that she’s won around Galway but she’s very tough and she has plenty of ability,” reported Mullins. “She just seemed to lose her confidence over hurdles but now that she has her confidence back she might go back hurdling at Galway.”
Stash gets the cash
SECRET Stash became the latest Jessica Harrington-trained juvenile to signal that she has a future at a higher level of competition as she dominated the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Median Auction Maiden over just short of a mile.
This filly caught the eye over six furlongs on her debut last month and she put that initial experience to good use to continue a tremendous run for her trainer and stable jockey Shane Foley.
After leading a quarter of a mile from home the evens-favourite kept on strongly to defeat Raven’s Cry by four lengths. Secret Stash carries the colours of the trainer’s son-in-law Richie Galway and she is out of a half-sister to Hungarian sprinter Overdose.
DONNACHA O’Brien and his brother Joseph made it 15 victories together this season with the Paul Smith-owned Jupiter Road in the Tara Stud Handicap for three-year-olds over a mile. The top-weight was headed by Festina Plente inside the distance but he rallied splendidly for the champion jockey to shade the verdict by a head.
This was a second career success for the 9/2 shot.
South Sea Pearl, whose last start yielded a third at the Curragh on Guineas weekend, brought up a double for Donnacha O’Brien in the Tote Fillies Maiden over a mile and a half. On her third career outing, the Aidan O’Brien inmate relished every yard of this trip and, while she did receive a couple of reminders some way out, the 5/4 favourite surged clear of the front-running Lady Olenna over the last quarter of a mile to win by nine lengths.
The jockey’s championship leader Colin Keane was also on the mark on Highly Approved (11/4) in the first division of the 45-65 rated Tote Handicap.
The Adrian McGuinness-trained four-year-old, who had dropped 20lbs in the ratings from a career high mark of 80 just over a year ago, got the better of the game pacesetter Takeachancejimmy by a neck.
The winner is owned by Dermot and Sean Forde and Jarlath Brennan and will now head to Roscommon on Monday for a fillies’ handicap.
Dance Alone made a bold bid to give Keane a double but he had to give best to the locally-trained and Derek Kierans-owned Blankiedoodie (8/1) who made it three wins in succession in the second division of the Tote Handicap.
John McConnell’s charge hasn’t looked back since scoring at 40/1 at Gowran just over a month ago and did well to prevail from a tricky stall 18 draw. Gary Carroll’s mount got home by half a length.