RYAN Moore grabbed a late double on the card, for trainer Aidan O’Brien, at Dundalk last Saturday night.
The superstar jockey was seen at his best on Port Fairy in the Irish EBF Spring Series Auction Maiden as he dictated from the front on the Australia filly.
He kicked for home before the turn on the 7/2 shot and she had enough up her sleeve late on to hold the challenge of Lady Doris by a neck at the line.
Stakes races could be next now for the winner with stable representative Chris Armstrong saying:
“Ryan got the fractions right, kicked at the right time and that was probably the winning of it in the end.
“She had one run last year and has come on mentally and physically. She’s a filly that’s going to stay well, she was just ready to start here tonight and she’ll come on fitness wise.
“She’ll probably go for an Oaks trial now and she’ll be able to step up in trip. We’ll try and get blacktype next and hopefully it’s onwards and upwards.”
Opened account
Half an hour later the beautifully-bred London City opened his account on his seasonal return in the Gateway Hotel Race & Stay Maiden.
Moore was prominent throughout on the 11/10 favourite and grabbed the lead a furlong and a half down to record a length-and-a-half win over Ozark Daze.
The winner, a son of Justify and top racemare Winter, was asserting on the run to the line and Armstrong commented.
“He had a good run the first day at the Curragh and then things just didn’t go right for him at Tipperary.
“As you can see he’s a massive big horse, he’s going to come on mentally and physically. We’ll take baby steps and towards the end of the year he could turn into a nice horse.”
The first of Moore’s mounts, Mayfair, had been turned over at 8/15 in the earlier BetVictor Fillies Maiden when chasing home debutante Star Magnolia.
Ger Lyons’ charge came with a strong run inside the final furlong to trump the hotpot and record a length success for Juddmonte.
Colin Keane said of the 5/1 winner: “It was a lovely performance. She has a lovely pedigree, being a half-sister to Zarinsk. If she can be half as good as her we’ll be happy.
“She couldn’t have made a better start. Aidan’s filly had a couple of good runs and I think our filly can only improve. Hopefully it’s onwards and upwards with her.”
PADDY Twomey continued a fine start to the season when Heart Of Darkness ran out a game winner of the six-furlong maiden on the card.
Billy Lee was prominent throughout on the 6/4 shot and the Mehmas filly, in the colours of the late Lady O’Reilly, kept on best in the closing stages to hold Ojw Legacy by a neck.
The winner had been fourth on her debut at Cork a fortnight previously and Twomey said: “She’s improved in the two weeks and I think the surface has probably helped her. I’m delighted she’s won, they are important colours.
“She ran well first time but I’d say she just didn’t love the soft ground, she’s enjoyed that surface today.
“She’s a nice filly and I think we’ll look at stakes races for the rest of the year. Something like the Polonia, if the ground was quick we might go back to Cork.”
Blustery conditions proved tough for the two-year-olds in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden and Usdi Atohi showed a good attitude to score on her debut.
The Donnacha O’Brien-trained daughter of Ten Sovereigns made all in the five-furlong contest and fought off the challenge of California Dreamer in the straight to record a head success.
“I was very happy with her. She jumped smart and had to do all the donkey work herself,” said winning rider Gavin Ryan, who carried the colours of Barry Fowler.
“There is a strong headwind up the straight but she showed a real good willing attitude. She’s tough, hardy and a very fast filly.”
VETERAN trainer Michael Browne was delighted to get Suityourselfboss over the line when she opened her account in the first division of the 47-65 mile handicap.
The 7/1 shot asserted inside the final furlong to record a cosy three-and-three-quarter length win under Wayne Hassett.
“She was entitled to do that but she’s a nervous kind of a mare, she’s always promised that she would,” said Browne, who trains the winner for the Aircon Syndicate.
“It’s great that she’s won and it was a great thrill. She’s not a bad filly and she’s improving the whole time. I’ll give her a little break now, she wants good ground so I’ll wait for a month or two.”
In the second heat the 28/1 win of Boadicea Belle wasn’t a great surprise to trainer Matthew Smith.
Gary Carroll came with a strong run to lead over a furlong out on the five-year-old and record a two-and-a-half length win for the Yussa Syndicate.
“She was down to a mark that she could do something off,” said Smith. “She came back well after her break and I’m delighted for the owners who have been very patient.”
The David Marnane-trained Jered Maddox recorded his seventh Dundalk win, and his first at the minimum trip, when running out a cosy winner of the five-furlong handicap.