VISCHIO (10/3) made all in the featured Play The Tote Exacta On Every Race Handicap to seal a Ballinrobe double for Gowran trainer Dick Donohoe.
Mikey Sheehy pushed the six-year-old mare into the lead and she lobbed away at the head of affairs. The daughter of Holy Roman Emperor, owned by the Goatsbridge Syndicate, straightened for home with a two-length advantage and increased it in the closing stages to win nicely by three lengths from Last Ammo.
This supplemented a fillies’ handicap success by Vischio at Tramore when she was the second leg of the trainer’s first ever brace, with Magnetic North being the other winning stablemate on both occasions
Donohoe said: “These two horses won at Tramore a fortnight ago and have been in super form since so we said we’d go again with them.
“The four wins were all quite similar with front-running tactics and she got an easy lead again tonight.
Boost
“We’re a small operation and you need to be getting the odd result to keep going at the game and days like this are a bit of a boost.
“This mare will go to Galway for a mares’ handicap hurdle which she ran in last year.”
Donohoe’s Magnetic North (4/1) had landed the opening Tote Fantasy Claiming Race in the colours of Patrick Sweeney before being claimed for €15,000 by James McAuley.
The eight-year-old led all the way to beat Eloquent Arthur by a length and a half
Jockey Adam Caffrey was winning for the fifth time on the Born To Sea gelding and said: “When he gets it like that in front, you always know he’s going to run his race. When he gets in behind horses and doesn’t really get it his own way, he doesn’t give you that much of a feel.
“I’m 20 today. I’m in with Ado McGuinness every morning and he’s been great to me, along with all his owners, and has been looking after me really well.”
Booyea keeps his mind on the job
TOM Gibney has enjoyed plenty of success at the western venue in the last couple of years and sent out 2/1 favourite Booyea to defy top-weight of 10st 2lb in the Tote.ie Never Beaten By SP Handicap.
Handy throughout under Gavin Ryan, the Galileo Gold chesnut led before the straight and was ridden out to beat La Tulipe Noire by a length.
“Fenian Reilly, who has other horses with me, and his brother John bred this fella and are part of the Ballinlough Syndicate,” said Gibney.
“He’s a lovely big horse but we’ll concentrate on this game for a while, anyway, before we think about jumping.
“He wasn’t as much of a handful to saddle today and he’s gradually getting less buzzy, but Gavin said he’s still not fully focused on the job during his races.
“All being well he’ll go for the three-year-old handicap in Galway next Monday.”
Yokkell, trained by Jarlath Fahey for Triona Burbage who led up her winner, doubled her career total in the Tote Download The App Handicap.
The 5/2 favourite was produced to challenge on the home turn by Colin Keane and dug deep for the champion jockey to beat Comfort Line by a length and three-quarters.
“She’s ultra-consistent, she’s picked up a cheque every time in the last 12 or 13 runs, and was very honest again today,” said Fahey.
“Colin said she found a bit for him under pressure. It’s a gift having a horse like her and she’s a great yardstick to have in the yard.”
Well-backed
The well-backed 15/8 favourite No Hassle was another prominent racer to oblige through the card when readily landing the Tote Guarantee On All Irish & UK Races Apprentice Handicap.
The six-year-old mare, trained in Lawrencetown near Ballinasloe by Shane Ryder for the Eyre Racing Partnership, asserted into the straight and was ridden clear to sweep home by an emphatic four and a half lengths from Viceregent.
Jockey Sean Bowen said: “She gets a bit worked up early on but she’s only starting to know what her game is.
“She’ll probably head to Galway after that and hopefully Shane will want to claim the 7lbs off her again.”
“I’m in Denis Hogan’s six days a week and go to Fozzy Stack’s once a week.”
MOONLIT Mist (9/4 favourite) made most in first-time cheekpieces in the Tote Always SP Or Better Maiden.
Gary Carroll worked her into an early lead and the pair dictated from there to beat Nostringsattached by two and three-quarter lengths.
Trainer Joe Murphy said of Mrs M.V. Magnier and Mrs Paul Shanahan’s three-year-old: “She’s a staying type of filly and we were a little bit worried about whether she’d handle the track or be a bit green.
“There’s more improvement to come from her. I think she’s a nice filly going forward and I just love the sire, Australia. He gets very genuine horses.
Banned (15/8 favourite) made the breakthrough at the 15th time of asking in the concluding Bet With The Tote At Ballinrobe Maiden.
The Ulysses filly, trained by Joseph O’Brien for E S Racing, sat second and hit the front two furlongs down. Soon ridden clear, she kept on well to hold Suprise Package who cut the deficit to half-a-length at the line without ever looking like getting there.
Jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle said: “She travelled around really well and I was always in control.
“She’s done nothing wrong and has always been really consistent, she’s just been bumping into one or two the whole way along. “She’s solid and tries hard and I’m delighted to get her head in front.”