2011
THE progressive Dodging Bullets defied a 10lb rise in the weights for last month’s Galway Festival triumph with victory in a competitive looking 10-furlong handicap at Sligo.
Just five runners went to post for this three-year-old only event, but it was certainly the most intriguing race of the evening, and one could have made a strong case for four of the runners.
Under a well-judged ride by Ben Curtis, Dodging Bullets (11/4) was settled in fourth for much of the race, before being dashed into the lead nearing the straight when an opening appeared.
Over the last furlong and a half. Dodging Bullets could never quite shake off Hisaabaat, but he kept pulling out more to repel the latter, and he crossed the line with half a length to spare.
Andy Oliver, whose charge was bred by Frankie Dettori and carries the Breeders’ Cup-winning colours of Richard Pegum, commented: “He got a great ride, and an intelligent ride, from Ben. We decided to settle him just off the pace and he picked up well when he had to. He’s a very versatile horse in terms of distance.”
[Andy Oliver paid just 8,000gns for Dodging Bullets as a yearling, in spite of the fact that he was from the second crop of Dubawi, now one of the world’s best stallions.
Sold after his Sligo win, Dodging Bullets next appeared in the colours of Martin Broughton and friends, trained by Paul Nicholls. He went on to earn more than £520,000 for his new connections, winning twice over hurdles and six times over fences.
Three of his chase wins were at Grade 1 level, the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham, the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown, and the Clarence House Chase at Ascot]
Murtagh at the top of his game
2011
JOCKEY Johnny Murtagh was riding at the top of his game at Tipperary on Thursday evening, where the success of Alanza in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fairy Bridge Stakes gave him the final leg of a treble.
Owned and bred by the Aga Khan, the 9/2 chance really motored in the final furlong to cut down her rivals for a three-quarter length win over Anam Allta. The English raider and favourite, Hooray, finished a disappointing eighth and her rider, Seb Sanders, stated that he tried to restrain his mount from the stalls and she began to run freely, suffered interference and was checked shortly afterwards.
John Oxx has care of the winner who was successful at this level in Cork last time out. He said: “Her two early runs taught her to settle and do things the right way, and she got the message. She produced a good turn of foot and she’s done well for us in winning two listed races. She likes a good, strong pace and fast ground, and maybe she’ll go nine furlongs.”
[A daughter of Dubai Destination, Alanza went on to win at Group 3 level in Doncaster and Leopardstown, and was third to Group 1 winner Lethal Force in the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes]
Townend on top of the world
2006
JOCKEY Paul Townend from Midleton, Co Cork, was crowned champion rider of the three-day Dingle Races festival at Ballintaggert racecourse in Co Kerry last weekend.
Townend won five races at the meeting, including the featured Dawn Milk Dingle Derby on Tony B, owned by the Castle Racing Syndicate from Dunmanway in Co Cork.
Danny Mullins from Goresbridge, Co Kilkenny also scored five times at the fixture, while among those enjoying their first taste of success at the meeting were Gary Carroll from Kildare, Shane Ryan from Dundrum, Co Tipperary, Darragh Lordan from Innishannon, Co Cork, Keith O’Donoghue from Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, and Pat Mangan from Conna, Co Cork.
[Paul, who will be 31 next month, was champion Irish National Hunt jockey for the fourth time last season. In 2019 he gave Willie Mullins his first Cheltenham Gold Cup winner with Al Boum Photo, repeating the success a year later. The gelding has provided the rider with two of his 15 Cheltenham Festival successes. They include Grade 1 wins on Appreciate It, Burning Victory, Duc Des Genievres, Ferny Hollow, Monkfish (twice) and Penhill (twice).
Paul has enjoyed many Grade 1 wins in Ireland and also won at that level in France, his best known winners including Chacun Pour Soi, Douvan, Faugheen, Hurricane Fly, Min, Quevega, Un De Sceaux and Yorkhill]
Seven up for Paddy ‘Darkie’ Prendergast
1956
ROSSMORE Lodge trainer P.J. Prendergast completed the remarkable feat of saddling the winner of Ireland’s principal juvenile event, the ‘Fifteen Hundred’, for the seventh year in succession when, at the Phoenix Park on Saturday last, his charge Refined made short work of her 11 rivals.
Refined, owned by Lady Margaret van Cutsem and ridden by J Mullane, was drawn on the stands’ side and, jumping off in front, she led all the way to win by four lengths from H.E. the President’s filly Gorm Abu, with Chevastrid two and a half lengths away in third.
Starting favourite at 11/10, she fully justified her trainer’s confidence in her to take this, the richest ever Phoenix Stakes. Refined is by Abadan who himself, prior to winning the ‘1500’, also took the Ashtown Plate.
Winning jockey, Jimmy Mullane, was registering his third success in this event. In the years that he was riding as first jockey to the Rossmore Lodge stable he also won on Windy City and Royal Duchy.
[Refined did not race again at two, but was rated the best of her sex at two. She ran four times at three, placed in the Athasi Stakes in Ireland and the 1000 Guineas Trial Stakes at Kempton Park, but ending her short racing career on a high with victories in the King George Stakes at Goodwood and the Portland Handicap at Doncaster.
At stud Refined had 16 foals, 10 runners and nine winners, one of which was stakes placed in the USA. Bred by Peter Ennis, Refined was sold as a foal to Nat Galway-Greer, and he sold her for 500gns as a yearling to Paddy Prendergast who co-owned her with Lady van Cutsem.
Refined was from the only Irish crop of Abadan (Persian Gulf). He won the Cork and Orrery Stakes at Royal Ascot in 1950 and was exported to South Africa where he was a successful sire.
Paddy Prendergast went on to win the Phoenix Stakes on three more occasions. He died in 1980 and during his career he saddled the winners of 16 Irish classics, a figure only eclipsed by Aidan O’Brien and Vincent O’Brien.
Jimmy Mullane was champion apprentice in Ireland in 1950, and champion jockey for the following two years. Liam Ward replaced him as stable jockey at Rossmore Lodge, and Mullane later moved to England]