AIDAN O’Brien and Wayne Lordan completed a double on the third evening of the July festival at Killarney on Wednesday.
The pair combined to take the featured Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Cairn Rouge Stakes with Greenfinch. Sent off 3/1 joint-favourite, the Magnier/Tabor/ Smith/Westerberg-owned daughter of Justify made virtually all for a two and a quarter-length success.
Ballydoyle representative Chris Armstrong said: “Wayne gave her a lovely ride, she jumped, got a lovely position and he was able to dictate from the front.
“It’s good for her confidence to get a nice win like that under her belt, and hopefully she can step up in grade again.
“She’s a typical Justify; a great mover, great attitude, and found plenty for pressure. We’ll be looking at something like the Fairy Bridge, going up to Group 3 again. Somewhere between a mile to a mile and a quarter, so it gives her plenty of options.
Fortunate
“She could even be a filly you could travel with as she handles quick ground. It’s great to get the blacktype for her, and great to get the blacktype for the filly in third.”
Lambourn had initiated the brace when a fortunate winner of the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Race.
Booked for second place at best with less than 50 yards to run, the 6/1 chance was left in front after clear leader Green Triangle ran out through the railing. That unfortunate incident allowed the Magnier/Tabor/Smith-owned colt to register an unlikely three-quarter-length win.
Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “It was an eventful race and you don’t really like to win them on those terms but he is a horse who has been coming along nicely at home and is still very raw.
“He missed the start and never really travelled but Wayne felt as soon as he turned in, that he was really going to finish off.
“He was doing his best work in the last furlong and a half. He now fits in nicely for those back-end two-year-old races over a mile and typical of the sire, is laidback and has a very good attitude. He will come on a lot from it and it looked an above average race.”
Monaster makes it home in first
MONASTERBOICE opened his account at the ninth time of asking when making most under Colin Keane to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
The Noel Meade-trained gelding stayed on strongly inside the final furlong to prevail by two and three-quarter lengths.
Keane later said of the Mrs Patricia Hunt-owned 11/8 favourite: “It was his first time running at a mile and he also made the running. In the past he travelled well into races and maybe just didn’t go through with it as well as today.
“We thought he’d have done this a long time ago so getting his head in front might sweeten him up. He is by Mehmas but in time he might get further.”
First winner
Young Darragh O’Sullivan rode his first ever winner under rules when guiding the Fozzy Stacked-trained Dynamic Force to a one-and-a-quarter length success in the opening Racing TV Claiming Race.
Sent off 10/3, the five-year-old carried the colours of Cormac O’Flynn to a comfortable win. The winning rider said: “That was great and thanks to Fozzy and the owners for giving me the ride. I’m with Fozzy every morning and everyone, including Joey (Sheridan), Andy (Slattery) and Seamie (Heffernan) have been great to me. Today’s race went to plan - I made plenty use of him, he was happy and when I got to the front he loved it.”
He added: “I was pony racing for five years, had 14 winners and thanks to Mam and Dad for driving me around the country! I’m tall enough so going jumping is a possibility for me.”
STORMIE Outlook followed up her recent Gowran Park success when landing the Rose Hotel Handicap for trainer Edward O’Grady.
The 17/2 chance led over a furlong out under Seamie Heffernan, keeping on well to hold On Our Radar by a neck. Winning trainer O’Grady owns the mare in partnership with Sean H Reynolds.
Heffernan, who was celebrating his 52nd birthday on the day, said afterwards: “Her home work had been good and while the front runners made it a good pace, we got lucky as a gap appeared at the right time. She is improving.”
Alan McIntyre sent out the second winner of his fledgling training career when Molly Hall got back up close home to beat Chimeric a neck in division l of the Irish Examiner Handicap.
A well supported 13/2 chance, the grey rallied inside the last 50 yards to score for the Dowling family. “That’s my second winner and I’m delighted,” said McIntyre.
“We wanted to run in the mile and six race today and were concerned about the distance but she bounced well and Robert said she battled back very well.
“She has three runs over hurdles but isn’t handicapped as she was one length ‘out’ (of the qualifying standard) so she’ll have to run again over hurdles. Summer hurdles will be on the cards and we’ll also look for something on the flat over a mile and six.”
He added: “I work for Michael and Ruth Foley at Old Leighlin Stables and we have 12 or 13 in training, mainly on the flat. We have horses for Galway, some for premier handicaps and are 100% looking for more business.”
Kai for Kinane
Shane Foley and Ross O’Sullivan landed division II of the Rose Hotel Handicap with 11/4 favourite Lady Kai.
Foley had to be strong on the Mrs Catherine Kinane-owned filly to get home half a length in front of Just Another Eagle.
Ross O’Sullivan said: “It is great to get one for Mick who has persevered with her. She always showed hints of ability and while we thought she’d win a race, she let me down a few times.
“We ended up stopping with her and giving her a complete break and this year she has come back better and stronger. Her work was good and had shown that she would be a different filly this year. She is bred to win an Oaks let alone a 45-65 but at least she has won now and it is important she has won. You’d imagine there’s another one in her.”
Regarding his connection with ex-jockey Kinane, he added: “I’ve known Mick a long time through Mark Gittens, who has horses with me, and who is married to Mick’s daughter Aisling.
“That’s our first horse for Mick and he rang straight away. He watched the race with Catherine and said he rode a finish himself in the last furlong!”
With ease
Chutzpal justified 2/1 favouritism with ease when barely having to come off the bridle to win the concluding Kelly Bros Handicap.
Trained by Henry de Bromhead, the Billy Lee-partnered gelding was clear from two furlong out, coasting home for a five-and-a-half length success. The winning jockey later said of the Pimlico Racing Ireland-owned victor: “I thought he ran well in Fairyhouse when he travelled okay but I felt that going back left-handed today was a better suit for him, and he had blinkers on.
“He was also up in trip so had a lot in his favour. I was trying to keep them on the stretch coming around the last bend as he was handling the track so well and I kept the revs up.
“He is a grand horse who will hopefully win on the flat again and also over hurdles.”