THE two-tone green colours of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede are largely associated with the jumping game but they have a nice juvenile filly on their hands in the shape of Seisai who put up a brave display to beat the colts in the Listed Coolmore Stud Churchill Stakes.

Just four went to post in this seven-and-a-half-furlong race after John The Baptist and Cairde Go Deo were taken out due to the rain-softened ground (officially soft, yielding in places).

After fighting for some racing room under two furlongs out, the Joseph O’Brien-trained daughter of Gleneagles kept on well inside the final 150 yards for Shane Crosse to beat fellow 2/1 joint-favourite Tuwaiq by half a length.

“She’s all tough this filly. There is not a whole lot of her but she’s very good. She had to take on the boys today and the juice in the ground was no bother to her. She’ll probably handle softer,” said Crosse before adding, “There is a strong headwind and it wasn’t easy – she had to be tough. She’s probably up there amongst the better two-year-old fillies this season.”

Good form

Ken Condon has his team in good form at present and he saddled an 81/1 double highlighted by a stable one-two in the Racing Again 26th August Nursery Handicap where 14/1 outsider Heytesbury Lane got up close home on the stands’ side rail for Niall McCullagh to pip Harmony Rose by half a length.

“She appreciates slow ground and even softer than this would suit her going forward. Six furlongs and soft ground could be ideal,” said Condon of the Pierce Molony-owned winner.

“She had a lovely first run at Naas in a maiden that is working out and then we ran her back a week later in a Group 3 which was probably asking a bit much. The ground was gone a bit quick last time at Down Royal.

“Harmony Rose did nothing wrong and is a real sweet filly that has been here four times and has run well each time. That was a big run off a big weight and I’m delighted with her as well.”

Moss Tucker (9/2) completed the double when prominent throughout in the www.tipperaryraces.ie Maiden. The Excelebration gelding, whose half-brother Charlie Bit Me was second at Wexford just 45 minutes earlier, kept on strongly in the straight under Joey Sheridan to beat Yester by a length and a quarter, with odds-on favourite Arctician only third.

Condon said: “He’s bred and owned by former Ireland rugby international Donal Spring and has been very consistent over this distance [extended seven furlongs] and a bit further. He’s gained a bit of experience and has got his turn.

“He’d been running on quicker ground and is a very good mover so we weren’t sure how that would suit. It’s not too soft and he was very comfortable on it. Joey’s 5lb claim is very useful as well. He’ll run in handicaps and I could see him jumping a hurdle down the line as well.”

O’Callaghan in the Money and hunting for blacktype

MICHAEL O’Callaghan is considering a crack at listed company with Money Tree after the 6/4 favourite got up close home to take the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden.

Chief market rival Special Power drifted left to the far side at halfway but it was Leigh Roche’s mount that came home best on the stands’ side to edge him out by half a length.

“She’s a filly we’ve liked and she ran well at Cork first time out. She hasn’t done a lot since and we were hoping with some improvement from that she would go close today,” said O’Callaghan.

“Leigh said she just got away with the ground. It was on the fast side of good in Cork and he thought she would be better on nicer ground and possibly going another furlong.

“She may go for the listed (Finlay Volvo Curragh Stakes) race at the Curragh next Friday and hopefully she can pick up some blacktype.

“A stiff five at the Curragh will be grand for her and if the ground is a bit more solid underfoot it should suit her. She has loads of speed and I’m delighted.”

Rock solid’ Johnson strikes again for Keane

COLIN Keane has built up a profitable association with Strong Johnson including a valuable success in the Rockingham Handicap at the Curragh last year, and the champion jockey recorded his fourth victory on the David Mooney-owned gelding in the Follow Tipperary On Facebook Race.

The 6/1 shot led well over a furlong out and held off a number of challenges to score by half a length.

“He’s been a very good horse to me and that’s the fourth race I’ve won on him. He’s a Premier Handicap winner and is probably a borderline listed horse. He’s rock solid and hopefully can continue that for the rest of the year.

“He’s won on nearly all types of ground and is a proper good fun horse for connections,” said Keane of the former Kieran Cotter-trained gelding, now in the care of Homer Scott.

Proud

Sequoiaspirit, trained by Ray Hackett for his father Liam, has done connections proud this summer and completed a hat-trick under Aine O’Connor in the Gain The Advantage Series (Ladies) Handicap.

He drew clear along with Call Me Dolly early in the straight and O’Connor just pushed out with hands and heels for the 4/1 shot to assert in the closing stages by two and a half lengths.

“I thought Aine gave him a smashing ride, had him in the right position and it worked out lovely. I was a bit worried about the ground until I walked it this morning and then I thought we’d be okay. For us in the jumping game, that’s gorgeous ground,” said the Toomevara trainer.

“We might go to Listowel and if not we might hold him for another race in this series at Naas. Today was the plan and it’s nice to get that over the line.”

Dylan Browne McMonagle holds a clear lead in the apprentice championship this season and moved onto the 32-winner mark aboard Big Island, trained by Johnny Feane for Reggie Roberts, in the Tipperary Handicap.

“I got a handy lead in front, was able to stack them up and he picked up off the bend,” said the Donegal teenager after the 13/2 chance held off the challenge of Galactic Grey by half a length.

“He was always doing enough and stayed at it well. On his last few starts when they quickened up by him on good ground he seemed to just fade away but on that ground they didn’t really get to me.”