MOSS Tucker has already given connections some tremendous highs, notably when landing the Group 1 Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh last autumn, and there’s the promise of much more to come this year following an impressive seasonal debut in the Listed Anglesey Lodge Equine Hospital Woodlands Stakes.
The Ken Condon-trained gelding, bred by former Irish international rugby player Donal Spring who also heads up the Charlie Bit Me Syndicate, travelled superbly for Billy Lee in this five-furlong listed event and the 4/1 chance quickened up nicely from the furlong pole to beat Ocean Quest by a comfortable two lengths with Go Athletico a further length back in third.
“That was a very good performance with 10st. He was very relaxed and Billy said he went through the race lovely and was as good as he’s felt on a seasonal return,” said Condon.
“We had a few little things that held us up earlier in the spring and a few weeks ago I told Donal he was unlikely to run here so he made plans to go to Italy for the weekend. The last 10 days or so he’s come to himself.
“He might go for the Greenlands and he’s entered for both sprints at Royal Ascot. He obviously won’t go there if it’s lightening fast ground so the weather will decide. Later on there is the Flying Five and maybe the Champions Day at Ascot.”
Marty The Party looks a progressive colt after recording an impressive victory in the other feature race on this eight-race card, the €45,000 Naas Racecourse Business Club Blackwater Handicap.
The well-backed 9/4 favourite quickened up nicely on the stands’ side inside the final furlong to beat Spanish Flame by a length and a quarter.
“I was hoping that he was better than his mark and it worked out that way. He probably ran into one the last day at the Curragh,” said Fozzy Stack who trains the flashy colt for the Connolly Racing Syndicate.
“He’s improved a lot physically from two to three and hopefully he’ll get a bit further. He should get a mile and a quarter and he’s in the new (Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic) race in Gowran, the 200 grand race - he qualifies for that.”
SPARKLING Sea (7/1) made a winning debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden when getting the better of the odds-on Fairy Godmother.
Trained by Ger Lyons for Moyglare Stud Farm, the daughter of Starspangledbanner was prominent throughout and led over a furlong out under Colin Keane to score by two and a half lengths over the well-backed 4/7 shot.
Lyons said: “I’ve a lovely bunch of two-year-olds and I’d say the fillies are smart. She was raw and there should be huge improvement as we don’t take them away on grass and this is their day out.
“She’s all speed and will get quicker. At the minute we would be thinking Queen Mary-type filly.”
Laugh A Minute recorded a sixth win for connections and eighth in total when just getting up in the final strides under Ronan Whelan to deny front-running favourite Stag Night by a neck in the Naas Racecourse Centenary Year Handicap.
Long term
“We’ve been running him over five but he’s a better horse over six. He stays at it well and long term he’ll probably end up down in the west (Galway Festival) for the seven on the Sunday,” said trainer Ado McGuinness of the 10/1 winner.
“He’s been a great servant and it’s great to get his head in front for all the boys (Shamrock Thoroughbreds). There is a huge crowd of them here today.”
Hayes hits home a treble
CHRIS Hayes enjoyed a great evening partnering a 363/1 treble aboard Tai Tam Bay, Hasna and Moutarde.
Tai Tam Bay was placed a number of times in seven outings as a juvenile and opened her account in no uncertain fashion for the Kiely/Kinsella/Mullen/Harty partnership in the Book Your Summer Season BBQ Packages At Naas Racecourse Handicap.
The 6/1 shot, available at 16/1 in the morning, stretched right away inside the final furlong beating Velvet Skies by four and a half lengths and Eddie Harty, who trains the light-weight along with his son Patrick, said: “She’s very, very tough and last year she was almost too tough. She just wanted to fight everything.
“I said we’d just drop her back to six for this and let her skip along and enjoy herself. Shane (Foley on Heavenly Being) has half bolted and done us a favour as we got a nice tow and she’s won well. We spent the whole winter trying to get her to settle and she’s more mannerly now.”
Followed up
Hayes (3/1) followed up on Hasna in the Race & Stay Fillies Maiden, heading the pacesetting Fleetingly over 150 yards out to score by two lengths.
The Aga Khan’s homebred daughter of Sea The Moon is trained by Dermot Weld who said: “She did it well and got a lovely ride from Chris Hayes. He switched her off nicely and got her into a rhythm and she came home well in the last furlong.”
Wesley Joyce was hit with a two-day ban for using his whip above shoulder height aboard Sing A New Song (tenth).
Moutarde completed a notable treble for the rider off bottom weight in division two of the 47-65 rated mile handicap.
The 12/1 shot, available at 50/1 earlier in the day, made most and rallied gamely in the final 100 yards to touch off Comfort Line by a neck.
“Chris wasn’t planning on making it, but he took him there and travelled away grand. I thought he was going to fall in a hole at the two pole but he kept on well,” said Gavin Cromwell who trains the gelding for Darren Cahill, John Brennan, Eoin Hughes and his wife Kiva.
Shock winner
Calamint recorded a 33/1 shock when prominent throughout in division one, drawing clear inside the final furlong for David Egan to beat Stormy Jenn by an easy four and a half lengths.
“She came to me about three weeks ago. I was quietly confident as she’d been working very well and she was bucking and squealing in the stableyard so I thought today could be the day,” said trainer Adrian Murray.