SHE hasn’t made it to the track all that often but Another Story has certainly made each visit count and Sheila Lavery’s charge recorded her third win from as many career starts in the one-mile All Weather Championships Fast-Track Qualifier.
A winner at this track on her only start as a juvenile, the four-year-old daughter of Rip Van Winkle hadn’t run since landing a useful handicap here last May. Here the 5/4 favourite squared off against some capable and far more experienced rivals.
Another Story, who carries the colours of the Spyglass Syndicate, was still going well when moving into the lead over a furlong from home. Smullen never had to get too animated for the filly to retain control and the pair crossed the line with one and three-quarter lengths to spare over the 92-rated Red Avenger.
“She was getting very fresh at home and this race came up so I thought we could come here and then back off and give her some time,” said the trainer. “I’d say it’s unlikely that she will be going to Lingfield and instead we’ll concentrate on getting blacktype with her. A mile on good ground would suit her very well. I feel sorry for Ronan Whelan (suspended) but we had a very able substitute in Pat.”
Smullen began the evening with a winner as Patrick Prendergast’s two-strong assault on the Elusive Pimpernel Claiming Maiden yielded maximum dividends with Hailstone (11/8) outpointing stablemate Brave Display. The last-named made a bold effort from the front but Hailstone reeled him late on to carry the day by half a length. Hailstone is owned by his breeder Rick Barnes.
“It’s a good result. The winner is rated 75 but he wasn’t going to win a handicap off his rating and these races are great for horses in the handicap wilderness,” stated Prendergast. “He’s a homebred and he’s now won a maiden and a Plus Ten bonus so it’s worked out well. These claiming maidens are a very good concept.”
ORR DOUBLE
Apprentice Oisin Orr matched Smullen’s feat with a double of his own and this featured another Dundalk success for the admirable Specific Gravity (10/1) in the mile and a half rated race. Trained by Adrian McGuinness for Sean Gallagher, the teak-tough nine-year-old has been in tremendous form lately and was notching up his third victory of the winter campaign.
Specific Gravity was among a host of horses challenging over a furlong from home and he finished well to see off the persistent Udogo before hitting the line three-quarters of a length ahead of Duchessofflorence.
“He got a great ride from Oisin and I don’t know why but he’s just been a revelation up here for the last few months,” remarked a delighted McGuinness. “He’s entered in the Lincoln at Naas but with the ground at the moment he probably won’t be going there but we’ll tip away with him. It’s great for Sean who is a great supporter of mine.”
The Orr double began when Try Again achieved the notable feat of making it three wins in succession in the apprentice riders’ handicap. The four-year-old was just 9lb higher than when beginning his winning streak and he remains progressive on this evidence. The 3/1 shot led shortly after turning in and built up a decent lead which saw him finish a length and a half ahead of Black Agnes.
“It looks like he’s improving and he’ll handle a cut in the ground on turf so we might wait and go for a handicap at Leopardstown next month,” reported Paul Flynn.
HOME FROM JAPAN
On his return from a two-month stint in Japan, Shane Foley also reeled off a double which began when Ken’s Sam’s (6/1) foiled a major gamble on Your Pal Tal (10/1-7/2) in the second division of the 45-65 sprint handicap. Foley produced the Thomas Kelly-owned filly with a last furlong charge which enabled the pair to see off the gamble by half a length.
“She has plenty of ability but she’s just taken time,” declared Adrian Joyce. “Dropping her in over six furlongs is probably the way to ride her. We might give her a little break and then bring her back on the turf.”
The odds-on Allography (4/6) completed the brace as he took advantage of a good opportunity in the Elusive Pimpernel Maiden over a mile. Michael Halford’s charge held a useful advantage over Sir Danilo from their meeting here last month and he duly confirmed that superiority. The Godolphin-owned son of Iffraaj led over a furlong from home before one and three-quarter-length victory over his old rival.
“His form entitled him to win and they went hard up front which meant he got a nice tow into the race,” reflected Halford. “We’ll see if there’s something else for him back here as he’d need it to dry out before he runs on turf. I’d say he will stay further.”
Course specialist Strategic Heights (7/2) made it six wins on the polytrack in the first division of the 45-65 rated six-furlong handicap. The Johnny Feane-owned and trained eight-year-old seemed sure to find a way past Red All Star heading into the last furlong but it was only on the line that Kevin Manning’s mount edged ahead.
“He’s run well and finished second here on his last two runs. He got a great ride from Kevin and it’s nice to see him win again as I thought the handicapper might have him,” commented Feane, whose charge was winning beyond the minimum trip for the first time.
The Denis Hogan-trained and Gary Halpin-ridden Free State (4/1) notched up his second success of 2017 by turning the mile and a half 45-65 rated handicap into a one-sided affair. Free State, who was just a pound higher than when last victorious, surged away from Any Time over the last furlong to come four and a quarter lengths clear.
“Gary has been very lucky for me and he gave the horse a top class ride,” remarked Hogan, who trains the winner for London-based Steve Moloney. “He had a wind operation before Christmas which has helped and he wants good ground so he’ll probably be back here again in the next few weeks.”
ACTING STEWARDS
N.B. Wachman, T. Hunt, P. Caffrey, P. Law, S. Quinn
Horse To Follow
BUBBLY BELLINI (A. McGuinness): This soft ground loving 10-year-old ran well under top weight to finish third to Ken’s Sam’s in a six-furlong handicap. This run should leave him well placed to make his mark in the early stages of the turf season.