SOME 26 years after he first won the race, Aidan O’Brien made it 14 wins in the Group 3 Killavullan Stakes as the promising Cairo produced a commanding effort under Wayne Lordan.
A Curragh maiden winner and second in a Dundalk listed race last time, Cairo certainly advanced his three-year-old prospects in a race that has occasionally offered a telling pointer to the following season’s classics.
Cairo got across from a potentially troublesome wide draw to track Bold Discovery and rounding the turn for home in this seven-furlong contest Lordan was exuding considerable confidence aboard the 5/2 favourite.
The Ballydoyle colt got on top approaching the final furlong and quickly opened up a decent lead to cross the line two and three-quarter lengths ahead of his staying on stablemate Sierra Blanca.
“He got a lovely ride from Wayne and they went a nice even gallop which suited him well. He had a good run the last day against a very nice filly of Willie Browne’s (Spirit Gal) and he’s progressed again,” said the stable representative Chris Armstrong.
“He’s in a Group 1 in France next weekend but that might come a little quick and he’s a horse to look forward to for next year though.”
Look forward
Aidan O’Brien has a good deal to look forward to on the middle-distance front next season and further evidence of this was supplied by the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Maiden where Peking Opera (6/5) edged out his stablemate and newcomer Bertinelli.
As he looked to build on a debut second to Bold Discovery at Naas last month, Peking Opera, a son of Galileo, responded to Seamie Heffernan’s promptings to move into the front rank inside the last quarter of a mile.
Peking Opera was soon showing in front and he went to the line in gritty fashion to score by half a length.
“He had a lovely run the first day and has stepped in his work since then. He should be a very nice horse over a trip next year,” remarked the trainer’s representative Chris Armstrong.
Realism was an odds-on shot to make it a Ballydoyle treble in the Gables Foxrock Cup Maiden over 10 furlongs but had to settle for fourth behind the promising Andy Oliver inmate Rare Middleton.
The Oliver-owned son of Aclaim shaped very nicely on his debut to take second in a Curragh maiden won by Zoffman and he built on that under Declan McDonogh.
The 7/2 shot was still going quite nicely when he moved to the head of the field over a furlong from home and when he had to knuckle down in the closing stages he did so in willing fashion to defeat the newcomer Imaginarium by half a length.
“He still has plenty to learn but I loved his attitude today, he got to the line well. We think a bit of the horse and he duly delivered,” stated Oliver.
McCreery has Self Belief
AFTER sending out Insinuendo to run a monster race at Ascot earlier in the afternoon, Willie McCreery maintained his bright finish to the season as the lightly raced Self Belief claimed the Listed Trigo Stakes over 10 furlongs.
The Ballylinch Stud-owned three-year-old gave the impression that inexperience cost him in a stakes race at Listowel last month when having only his second start and that view was borne out here.
A first stakes winner for jockey Nathan Crosse, Self Belief (8/1) came with an unfaltering charge in the straight to close in on the duelling stablemates Kerkiyra and Lyrical Poetry.
For much of the last furlong Kerkiyra clung on bravely to the lead but in the final yards she succumbed to Self Belief who got home by a head and could develop into a very significant middle-distance force next season.
Lovely prospect
Jessica Harrington has a lovely three-year-old prospect on her hands in Sounds Of Heaven who signed off for 2022 with a likeable success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over a mile.
Shane Foley was always nicely placed on the Craig Bernick and John Camilleri-owned daughter of Kingman who improved to hold every chance turning for home.
With over a furlong to run Sounds Of Heaven had the favourite Starry Eyed covered and she went on to reach the line a length ahead of Boogie Woogie who also turned in a nice effort.
“She’s a lovely filly who has come on from Gowran and we’ll put her away now and see how she comes through the winter before making plans. Shane felt that she’d get a mile and a quarter next year,” remarked the trainer.
The teak-tough Aurifodina notched up her second win in three starts as she defied top-weight in the Matt Bunn 40th Birthday Nursery Handicap over a mile.
Jim Bolger’s charge came under strong pressure from Luke McAteer to close down the front running Tiymara off the last bend and responded in very willing fashion.
The Jackie Bolger-owned 7/2 shot got on top inside the distance and went on to defeat her aforementioned rival by just under two lengths.
Powell powering along with another double
A TREMENDOUS season for apprentice Jamie Powell yielded yet another double which concluded as the rider added to his increasingly impressive premier handicap haul aboard Noel Meade’s Zoffman in the Leopardstown October Handicap.
This three-year-old’s Curragh maiden win from last month was franked by Rare Middleton earlier on the card and that was followed by a good run at Thurles the previous week, but this reliable sort moved his form on to another level here.
The Jimmy Owens and Derville Meade-owned gelding was always quite nicely placed in this mile-and-a-half contest and then he unwound with a sweeping effort on the outer in the straight.
Zoffman struck the front around a furlong out and kept on strongly to hit the line two and a half lengths ahead of Safe Cracker.
“Going up in trip has helped him and so has easy ground. He’s small so I thought with the light weight he had a good chance,” stated Meade.
“I’ve schooled him over hurdles and he jumps well but he’s that small that I can’t imagine how he could make a jumper so we might leave him for the winter and bring him back for good handicaps next year.”
Three wins
Jamie Powell was earlier successful on the Tom Mullins-owned and trained Dazzling Spirit (9/1) who made it three wins from her last four starts in the GAIN The Advantage Series Handicap over seven furlongs.
Fresh from a victory at Killarney on Monday, Jamie Powell’s mount just needed room to come off the rail in the straight and she took full advantage to collar the front-running Bobby Dassler and prevail by a length and three quarters.“She just wasn’t letting herself down on quicker ground earlier in the season but she’s letting herself down now and she’s getting quicker. I’d say she will head to Galway towards the end of the month,” declared Tom Mullins.