CIAN MacRedmond partnered his 50th career winner as veteran gelding Spanish Tenor got back into the number one spot with a deserved seventh victory in the Open Week At Gowran Park Handicap.
Trained by Ado McGuinness for Shamrock Thoroughbreds, the nine-year-old gelding had been placed on a number of occasions this year and adopted customary front-running tactics before holding off Facethepuckout by three-quarters of a length.
“He’s a great little horse and I ride him out most mornings. He can be a bit funny and even at nine still has his little tricks. In fairness, every time you ask him to do something, he does it,” said MacRedmond of the 5/1 winner.
“Ideally he likes it the slow side of good but he I had the draw and was able to dictate things to suit him.”
12 winners
Conor Stone-Walsh is another apprentice catching the eye and he moved onto the 12-winner mark for the season when making all aboard Goodie Two Shoes in the McEnery Cup Handicap.
The Joseph O’Brien-trained filly had her task eased with four absentees reducing the field to just six runners but she took control from over a furlong out to beat Smooth Tom by a comfortable two and a quarter-lengths.
J.P. McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry said of the well-backed 6/5 favourite: “She was out of sorts for a while and it’s nice to see her back in good form.
“I’d say she’ll mix it a bit between the flat and maybe go hurdling again. She had a hard fall in Fairyhouse that set her back a bit.”
Brave Daze gets off the mark
ASIAN Daze opened her account at the fourth attempt in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden.
The daughter of Frontiersman made headway on the inner to lead well over a furlong out and kept on well under Danny Sheehy to beat School Of Law by two and three-quarter lengths.
Winning trainer Johnny Murtagh said: “She’s been running consistent and got a lovely ride today from a nice draw. She’d been training good at home but our two-year-olds seem to need a few runs to click into gear.
“She’s not very big but she’s brave and tough. Phelim Dolan bred her and has a few of his friends involved (Armchair Jockeys Syndicate).”
The other maiden on the card, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden, went the way of the All Stars Racing Syndicate’s Letiza - placed on four of her previous five starts.
The 10/3 shot got up virtually on the line under Ben Coen and trainer Johnny Feane commented: “I told Ben to leave it late and he did that! I think she pulled up a bit when she got there and a pair of cheekpieces might help.”
Vengeance
Everylittlestep has struck form with a vengeance this summer and completed a hat-trick when readily justifying 11/5 favouritism in division one of the BoyleSports Supporting Irish Racing Handicap.
The five-year-old mare, trained by Yvonne Latta for owner/breeder William Powell-Harris, led over a furlong out under Colin Keane and soon asserted to beat Plunkett Street by two and a quarter lengths.
Latta’s son and assistant Andrew said: “She had a little problem with her wind last year and it’s just taken her a bit of time to get her confidence and she’s got it now.
“She seemed to do it nicely and we might aim at some of the good fillies’ only handicaps coming up where she might just sneak into the bottom of the handicap.
“We’ll see what the handicapper does and if he’s very hard on her we might run in the apprentice handicap at the Curragh on Sunday. I’d rather wait as she likes a gap between her races.”
Slamadoor (17/2) made most under Leigh Roche in division two, keeping on well inside the final 100 yards to beat Jazz Dreamers by half a length.
“She got into a bit of trouble up the straight in Leopardstown the last day which cost her some momentum but got a lovely clear run today. The plan wasn’t to make it but she jumped out and they weren’t going that hard so Leigh took the initiative and she braved it out very strong for him,” said Jarlath Fahey who trains the Slade Power filly for the White family from Newbridge.
“She jumps hurdles well so there is the possibility that we might go hurdling with her,” he added.
Great run for Murphy continues
THE John Murphy yard has certainly turned a corner recently and made it three winners in the space of five days with the Hewins Hoare Partnership-owned Great Blasket in division one of the Coast To Curragh Charity Cycle Handicap.
The 11/1 shot made headway between horses for Shane Foley over a furlong out and came home well to touch off Baalbec Beauty by a neck.
Murphy’s son and assistant George said: “We were a little bit worried the ground would be a bit sharp for him but Shane said that he travelled around on it nicely and was tough at the end.
“We’ll probably step up to a mile the next day.
“The horses were a bit flat about six weeks ago so we just freshened everything up and are happy with the way they are all going now.”
Most of the running
On a day when being up with the pace and close to the far rail was key, The Fog Horn was another that made most of the running in division one. The 10/1 chance was strongly pressed inside the final furlong but held off third reserve Kodihill by a short-head.
“She likes it here and the better ground. It was a bit too soft the last day. James (Ryan) gave her a lovely ride out in front with the blinkers on and she’d a good draw. We’ll see what the handicapper does. He gave her 12lb for winning here before so we claimed off her. It made a difference,” said winning owner, trainer and breeder Seamus O’Donnell.