OVER 12,000 attended Limerick’s well-established Student Raceday in perfect sunshine on Thursday, with jockey Cian Quirke beginning by winning the opening two races.
Quirke’s opening winner came on the Andy Slattery-trained, hurdling debutante Preparations (7/2), for owner Mary Slattery in the Big Boss (Fillies’) Maiden Hurdle, making all when holding Janes Harbour (4/11 favourite) by two lengths.
Slattery’s brother and assistant Willie Slattery reported, “she is a grand mare and is only strengthening up, as she is still only a shell.
“I have absolutely no idea what he (Andy) is thinking regarding plans, but today was the plan from when she came in and he had this race picked out.
“She is rated 70 on the flat, so we’re hoping there’ll be a day off that mark.”
Soaring home
Half an hour later Quirke steered the Aengus King-owned and trained Midnight Eagle (18/1) to land the Event Trax Handicap Hurdle.
The five-year-old mare raced prominently to score by two and a half lengths from Cramers Valley.
King commented: “The change in going was a big thing for her, although the last day she just wasn’t sparking.
“She might have been in season but we didn’t see anything, but we could definitely see that she was a better mare coming here today.
“I bought her for a couple of thousand from Derek O’Connor as she just wasn’t his grade, but she is mine!”
Jockey Quirke is currently third in the Conditional Jockeys’ Title, with both leader Tiernan Power Roche and second-placed John Shinick also recording wins on the day.
LEADER Power Roche steered the Philip Rothwell-trained Mercury Mission (11/8 favourite) to win the Locke Burger Novice Handicap Hurdle, in the colours of Ire Asset Holding Limited.
Rothwell reported: “Tiernan is a very nice fella and the biggest thing about him is he is a team player at home. He has a good attitude, but I think the whole Conditional Jockeys’ title is getting to him a bit. I thought he was too stressed with the whole thing recently, so I told him to relax and enjoy it. That puts him four winners clear of John Shinnick, so he has a good chance of winning it.”
Regarding Mercury Mission he said, “he isn’t the simplest horse in the world as he demonstrated in Wexford. It is my first season with him and he must have been a 400-race maiden, but I’ve loved him from day one despite him being quirky.”
In hot pursuit
Shinnick subsequently won the Racing Again April 25th Handicap Hurdle on Flemens Intrest (10/3 favourite), which followed up a course win nine days ago. The John Cotter-owned and bred Flemens Intrest had just headed Give Him A Chance when that rival fell at the second-last and, on the run-in, held One And Only by four and three-quarter lengths.
Winning trainer David Barry said: “He came home in great form after winning the last day, so we had nothing to lose coming here. I was more concerned about the quick turnaround than the 10lb hike in the ratings as he is a strong horse, and it just worked out.
“He’ll get another few pounds for winning that and is probably maxed out, but we’ll keep going during the summer once there is juice in the ground.”
Jockey Daniel King steered Grange Walk (10/1) to win the Ishka Irish Spring Water Handicap Hurdle for trainer, John Ryan and owner, Edward Gleeson.
Afterwards, Ryan stated: “He fell a lot of days when he had races won and had a lot of hard luck, so deserved that. He is a good horse and was always going to win a hurdle off that mark.”
McCarthy back on song with winning newcomer
BIGGEST-priced winner was the Gary Noonan-partnered newcomer Carrigg Island (66/1) in the D & J Glazing (C & G) Maiden Hurdle, which gave trainer Eoin McCarthy a boost.
McCarthy reported: “That was badly, badly needed. We got a bug into the yard and it took us a long time to get it out and had snow which lasted for a week. Everything is back on an even keel now though and, in the last three weeks, I felt we were going the right way.”
He added: “There was no pace in today’s race, but if they were going a gallop, he’d settle. They gave us the race and we were allowed to do our own thing but he is a nice horse.
“Mossy and his sons, Matthew and Kieran O’Connor, have been with me a long time and one of their horses, All The Angels, was one who got me going. They’ve stuck with it and I’m delighted to get them another winner.”
Well-related
Faugheen’s relative Good Girl Kathleen (9/2) landed the concluding Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Bumper in fine style for the Lions Mouth Racing Club, trainer Emmet Mullins and jockey John Gleeson. Out of a half-sister to the 2015 Champion Hurdle winner, Good Girl Kathleen today quickened away from 13 rivals to score readily.
Afterwards James Fenton, who heads up the Lions Mouth Racing Club said: “I had her half-sister Maughreen for the Closutton Racing Club and Faugheen is also in the pedigree, so I leased her. It is great for the syndicate, who are a group of lads from Co Meath and had misfortune and setbacks, but it has all worked out.
“Willie (Mullins) had her at one point, but I brought her back home as she just needed some effort and I decided to give Emmet a go. She is a good mare and it is nice to spread things around. I’m so delighted for John, as I am very good friends with the Gleeson family. I’d like to dedicate it to the memory of Ray Ryan from Cork, who was a cousin of John’s. Ray was a member of An Garda Síochána and was also a member of Blue Blood Racing.”