GOLDRUSH goes from strength to strength as she showed when taking her second listed prize under the lights at Dundalk, in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Cooley Fillies Stakes.
After her Carlingford Stakes win a fortnight before, 9/4 favourite Goldrush successfully dropped back to a mile for China Horse Club International Ltd.
Jim Bolger had started her off over this distance at Navan in early September, and with Kevin Manning up again she had no problem with the trip.
One imagines that you could throw any impediment in front of the €1.7 million yearling, because the daughter of Frankel and Alexander Goldrush possesses a will to win like her parents.
She’s got plenty of talent too as she emerged best in a tight finish from Aneen and Belle Boyd. The distances were half a length and a neck. Chris Hayes partnered Aneen and he reported that his mount was bumped on leaving stalls.
“I don’t think there is a great deal left for her this year but we’ll see plenty of her next year,” said Manning.
“She stays well and she has pace, but all the good ones have that. She’s going the right way and I think there is plenty more improvement in her.”
Colin Keane and his supporters secured further breathing space as the Co Meath native strives for his first jockeys’ championship. A double on this card extended Keane’s lead over Pat Smullen to seven.
He began for his fellow county man, Noel Meade, on well-backed 11/4 shot Art Of Unity, in the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Nursery Handicap (Plus 10 Race).
Keane donned the familiar Munnelly Support Services Ltd silks for the ride on Art Of Unity.
Several behind emerged with credit, including second and third home Downtown Diva and Stewardess, but Art Of Unity did enough to triumph by a length and a quarter and a short-head.
This success was achieved three days on from a Fairyhouse third placing, and with blinkers on again, for just the second time.
“Back to the five furlongs here was ideal. He had a nice draw and handled the surface well,” divulged Keane.
The season’s leading rider moved on to the 94 winner mark with his 12/1 brace, completed aboard George and Prunella Dobbs’ Carried, in the second division of the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap.
The 5/2 favourite soon led, and when asked for more up the straight he delivered, to dispose of supported outsider, Adieux (25s into 18s), by two and a half lengths.
“He stays very well and he loves the surface here. Credit to Mrs Dobbs for keeping him fresh,” remarked Keane in the aftermath.
A generally decent night for punters began with a winning market-leader. From the front Midnitemudcrabs (13/8 into 5/4) fought off Maysonette by three-quarters of a length in the www.dundalkstadium.com Fillies Claiming Race.
John Feane owns and trains this one, and her jockey, Gary Halpin (picked up a two-day whip ban) disclosed: “We were lucky as we only took her home from the sales the other day.”
Maysonette did find a new home, after what was a decent beginning on the polytrack. She went to Andy Slattery for €8,000.
Another winning favourite was the Hassan Al Abdulmalik owned and bred Night Of Power (11/10) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden (Plus 10 Race).
He made just about all as well, Declan McDonogh bringing his mount home a length and a neck in front of Pat Smullen and Colin Keane, on Kalaxana and Bring On The Band respectively.
“He likes fast ground and is a horse we like. He needs a little break now as he’s had three runs, and hopefully he’ll be a nice three-year-old,” commented successful handler John Oxx.
DISTRESSED
Jock Talk (9/4 favourite) was distressed post race after managing only tenth place in the Crowne Plaza Leading Jockey & Trainer Championship Handicap. The mile event still went to a fancied runner, Denis Enright’s Indian Tomahawk landing the spoils.
Those that sent the Richard O’Brien-handled five-year-old off at odds of 4/1 were well pleased when he held Koybig by a head.
O’Brien said afterwards: “I’m delighted with that, and delighted with the ride Billy (Lee) gave him, sure he was absolutely brilliant on him. He’s a star – a really genuine horse.”
The other couple of winners weren’t as easy to find. Chicago School struck at 12/1 in the Crowne Plaza Hotel Race & Stay Handicap.
Apprentice Conor McGovern is now attached to the Anthony McCann yard, and they got their association off to a great start as Rita Shah’s Chicago School defeated Peace Mission by half a length.
The four-year-old Approve gelding was well bought, at £2,000, in the summer of 2016 out of the Mark Johnston yard.
Meanwhile, the biggest surprise of the evening came about in the first split of the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap.
For J.P. McManus and his father Niall, Tom Madden got Gilded Reflection (33/1) through from off the pace to edge out Pat Smullen’s well-backed mount, Miss Snossyboots, by three-parts of a length.
Miss Snossyboots’ trainer, Michael Halford, also supplied the third home, Vienna Circle.
Gilded Reflection, previously with the now retired David Wachman, and with Ralph Beckett cross-channel, was making a winning bow here for the Madden team.
“Thanks to Frank (Berry, McManus’ racing manager) and J.P. for giving her to dad. Ralph Beckett had her early on in the season and dad got her then halfway through the year. We haven’t got her that long,” stated Madden junior.
ACTING STEWARDS
L. McFerran, R. Dore, E. Galvin, J. Tyrrell and P. D. Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW
KALAXANA (M. Halford): She looks progressive after a second placing, when well-backed, behind Night Of Power in the median auction maiden.