A TRULY memorable weekend at the Curragh for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane yielded further big race success as Lemista’s tremendous progression from two to three continued in the Group 2 Kilboy Estate Stakes.
After starting her season with a Park Express Stakes triumph at Naas in March, where she lowered the colours of Even So, Lemista then bolted up in a Gowran Park listed race last month.
In her first outing in the colours of prominent American owner Peter Brant, this filly was going particularly well for Keane approaching the last two furlongs. When the 3/1 chance was unleashed with her effort, the response was impressive and she prevailed by three-quarters of a length from Lovelier who ran so well just six days after breaking her maiden in a Killarney listed race.
“She’s different gravy on the track to what she is at home. You couldn’t get the ground soft enough for her so the fact she’s doing this on this ground says a lot about her,” stated Lyons. “She will get a mile and a half and I could see us aiming her at the Group 1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot in October, which is also likely to be the target for Even So,” added the trainer, who indicated that September’s Prix Vermeille could enter calculations for both Even So and Lemista.
Earlier, Keane bagged the Group 2 Holden Plant Rentals Sapphire Stakes on the English raider and €8,000 supplementary entry A’Ali. A winner of the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot last year and now a four-time Group 2 hero, this Simon and Ed Crisford-trained son of Society Rock had bounced back to form with a recent Group 3 triumph at Sandown.
From the outset of this five-furlong affair, the evens favourite raced almost alone over towards the stands’ side .
The three-year-old finished strongly to score by a length from fellow supplementary entry Make A Challenge who raced on the far side of the track.
“I was on a fresh strip of ground but ideally I would have liked a tow into the race. He felt like a Group 1 horse,” reflected Keane who was sporting the silks of Shaikh Duaij Al Khalifa.
Several days later the colt’s joint trainer Ed Crisford reported that the winner was likely to tackle the Nunthorpe Stakes at York next before returning to the Curragh for the Flying Five Stakes.
Hayes shines with treble as Aloha Star scores at 33/1
AFTER riding a 66/1 winner of the Railway Stakes the previous evening, Chris Hayes promptly followed up by landing the Group 2 Airlie Stud Stakes on Fozzy Stack’s 33/1 chance Aloha Star which kicked off a treble for the rider.
Only four lined up for this race and with Frenetic and Mother Earth in the line-up, the David Keoghan and Partners-owned filly looked to face a tall order as she attempted to build on her Bellewstown maiden triumph.
A canny Hayes bided his time in third as his aforementioned rivals battled up front and Aloha Star then closed in with over a furlong to run. The Nunthorpe Stakes-bound Frenetic had dealt with Mother Earth but then Aloha Star pounced and, while the leader rallied, the Stack inmate held on by a head.
“When she ran the first day we were very disappointed but she got no cover and was too keen and Eddie who rides her out at home has done a great job getting her settled,” said the rider.
Trainer Fozzy Stack said: “Our first impression was to look at the Lowther Stakes at York but she could now be supplemented for the Phoenix Stakes back at the Curragh next month and after that she could go for the Moyglare.”
Hayes then struck aboard Kevin Prendergast’s Monaasib (13/8) in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden over six furlongs. This Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned colt chased home a very smart sort in Teresa Mendoza over this course and distance nine days previously and duly confirmed that promise to win by two and a half lengths.
“The boss wouldn’t usually run them back so quick but he came out of his race last week so well. He’s a colt that will progress again,” declared Hayes.
The concluding leg of the 2587/1 Hayes treble came aboard Elzaamone in the Big Picture Communications Handicap over five furlongs which provided former jockey Niall Egan with the first winner of his training career.
This 28/1 shot had shown some promise in his first four starts and he produced a good effort from the front to score by half a length in the colours of Ms A. Li.
“I’ve had the licence since January and I have seven in training and my supporters are from the Far East. I bought this horse for €7,000 as a yearling so he’s a special buy,” reported Egan.
THERE will be few better, if any, handicap efforts witnessed in Ireland this season than that produced by Paddy Twomey’s Sonaiyla in the €75,000 Manguard Plus Summer Fillies Handicap over seven furlongs.
Fresh from a victory in the Sweet Mimosa Stakes at Cork, this Ennistown Stud-owned daughter of Dark Angel was burdened with top weight and she had to concede upwards of a stone to her 15 rivals.
Billy Lee set sail for home some way out on this vastly improved four-year-old and this tactic paid dividends as Sonaiyla (11/2) lasted home by a head from the strong-finishing favourite Music To My Ears.
“I was questioning myself about whether to run her and I felt she would have to be a group filly to win. After that I’d say there is no doubt that she is,” declared Twomey whose charge is looking like tremendous value after being picked up for €110,000 last November. “It was a great ride from Billy Lee and I’m thrilled he was on board as he is a huge part of our operation.”
Another good weight carrying effort was in the Evoke.ie Handicap over a mile where Fame And Acclaim continued his recent progression. Joseph O’Brien’s charge looked a horse on the up when winning at Cork the previous weekend but did even better here under the joint top weight.
The 7/2 favourite, who carries the colours of Paul Redmond, never had to be asked for his all to defeat the always prominent Frank Arthur by half a length.
Snowfall (8/13) banished the memories of her abortive outing here on Irish Derby weekend with a classy display in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over seven furlongs. On her last start, the Deep Impact filly was lucky not to come down when catching a heel at a vital stage which cost her all chance of getting involved.
Lovely filly
There was to be no such hard-luck story this time for Wayne Lordan’s mount whose inexorable challenge over the last furlong and a half carried her past Sister Rosetta in the closing stages. She will not be long in making her mark at stakes level.
“She’s a lovely filly and would give you a very nice feel through a race.
“Another furlong would be no trouble to her and she’s a filly with good future,” remarked Lordan.