JOSEPH O’Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle combined for a short-priced double at Roscommon on Monday, with the exciting Stromberg initiating their brace in the opening Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden.

Successful by 10-lengths when making the breakthrough at Galway, the Teme Valley-owned bay was, for the second time in as many races, sent off the clear market leader at 1/5.

Settled in mid-division, the Iffraaj colt made progress from early in the straight and swept to the front from the two-furlong pole. He soon shot clear and had seven lengths to spare at the line.

“He is progressing really nicely and sharpening up with every run,” the Donegal pilot reflected.

“I travelled really well and like the last day he kept powering clear. He gallops out through the line which is a good sign.”

Deakin brought up the double in the Racing Again Here On September 25th 2023 Maiden, with this son of Australia also winning convincingly.

Fitted with cheekpieces for the first time and sent off the even-money favourite, the chesnut was settled in second before easing to the front with over two furlongs to race.

Soon ridden clear, he ultimately came home six lengths to the good in the colours of OTI Racing.

“He was a little bit unlucky the last day at the Curragh. I got boxed in well back and he finished good,” the winning rider disclosed.

“He’s straightforward. He travelled and picked up good off the bend, I knew he’d stay well.”

Happy days for Aga Khan’s Hazalaya

AFTER making the breakthrough over the course and distance last month, Hazalaya followed up in the roscommonracecourse.ie Handicap, with the 10/3 chance the first part of a double for Johnny Murtagh and Ben Coen.

Owned and bred by the Aga Khan, she swept to the front with less than two furlongs to go and needed to be kept up to her work all the way to the line, with three-quarters of a length the margin of victory.

“Ben was very happy with her here the last day and we did feel that she had improved a bit. She had to, as stepping up against older handicappers is always tough,” Murtagh remarked.

Givemefive (7/1) completed the Murtagh/Coen brace in the concluding Roscommon Racecourse On Facebook Handicap.

Getting off the mark on his 10th start, the 64-rated bay only got to the front inside the final 150 yards and while soon pressed, he battled on gamely to prevail by half a length.

Frustrating

“This fella had been a bit frustrating, but he’s finally done it now so it’s great,” Murtagh enthused.

“They have been very lucky owners (the Any Excuse For A Holiday Syndicate) and they’re a group of people I met in Australia when I was over there for the Melbourne Cup.”

Murtagh and Coen had to settle for fourth with Shayzann (15/8 favourite) in the Lecarrow Race, with Cristal Clere completing a hat-trick in this mile-and-a-quarter contest.

Twice successful at Leopardstown in April and given a break since, the Harzand bay proved easy to back and was returned a 7/1 chance (7/2 early) for owner/trainer John Nallen.

Good progress

Ridden by his nephew Sean Bowen and settled in rear, the five-year-old made good progress from early in the straight and hit the front with less than two furlongs to go.

He needed to be ridden out in the closing stages to see off the persistent effort of Fleetfoot (5/2 from 9s early), with half a length between them at the line.

Martinstown was seven lengths back in third, with his rider Seamie Heffernan later handed an eight-day ban for using his whip with his arm above shoulder height.

“We left him off when the ground got dry and waited for a dig in it,” Nallen revealed. “We were thinking about the big handicap in the Curragh (Northfields) on Sunday, but we’ll wait as he wants a cut in the ground.”

Joyce off mark with Barnhill

BARNHILL Rose provided Adrian Joyce with a notable success in the second divide of the INPBA Free Admission For All Today Handicap.

With Denis Hogan suspended for three-months due to a fourth prohibited substance rule breach, Joyce has been entrusted with his licence, taking over at Boherna Stables on September 1st.

Recording her third win of the season and her second at Roscommon, the Mayson five-year-old was sent off the 7/2 favourite in the colours of Patrick Kelly.

Just two got involved in this 14-runner affair, with the bay victor, who raced in second under Paddy Harnett, getting to the front from the two-furlong pole, eventually seeing off the front-running Manhattan Dandy by half a length.

“That’s great to get one fairly quickly,” Joyce, who previously trained in his own right, commented.

“She’s a consistent mare with course and distance form. She’s solid and runs well all the time.”

Successful in first time blinkers at Cork the previous Wednesday, Rock Dandy quickly followed-up in the first divide of this extended seven-furlong heat.

Sent off the 10/3 favourite and settled in second by Jamie Powell, he edged to the front from the furlong pole and ultimately kept on best under pressure, prevailing by three-quarters of a length for owner/breeder David Webb.

Different horse

“The blinkers seem to have done the trick. We were wondering if we were going to get a race out of him, but he’s a different horse with the blinkers and he’s grinding it out well,” winning trainer Pat Murphy observed.

The Co Kilkenny handler was just denied for a double in the Oran Handicap, with Longclaw collared in the final strides by the Darran Bunyan-trained Jabbar (8/1).

Owned by Lance Bloodstock Limited and a winner at Killarney in July, the bay victor raced in rear under Dean Curran and was pushed along from early in the straight.

He soon made progress on the outer and continued his surge when ridden a furlong and a half from home, getting up in the final 50 yards to prevail by a neck.

“I didn’t want to put him on his head and bully him into a position where he wasn’t comfortable, so I was happy to sit where I was,” Curran said. “He’s genuine and I knew he’d stay.”