THERE was a thrilling finish in the featured Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap as Joseph O’Brien’s new recruit Belhaven (17/2) led close home for a short-head success over Whimsy who met trouble in running in the straight.

A four-time winner for Harry Eustace, the Belardo four-year-old runs in the colours of the Magic Mares Syndicate.

Winning rider Dylan Browne McMonagle said: “On her first run back for us, I just wanted her doing things right and have her coming home today. It worked out lovely.

“When Ben Coen (on clear leader No Niki No) got away, the boys were chasing him from a long way out and they got racing early. I was able to sneak along and just keep tracking as best I could.

“It was always going to play into my hands late on, I got the splits and the filly was good and tough, she got to the line well.”

Resolution

Sakakawea, trained by Ted Walsh for his wife Helen, showed good resolution to get up in the closing stages of the Download The Tote App Fillies Maiden.

The homebred daughter of Sioux Nation saw off Bella Mistiko by half a length at odds of 11/1.

Winning jockey Billy Lee said: “She jumped a bit slow and I was caught in a pocket most of the way, but it helped her because she’s a forward-going filly and it settled her well.

“She’s always worked well and her runs probably hadn’t shown that, but that was more like it so hopefully she’ll go forward. I think she will stay seven furlongs in time, the more she settles down and learns her job.”

Ladyship rewards her backers

HER Ladyship, ridden by Colin Keane, certainly didn’t go unbacked in the Tote.ie Median Auction Maiden and the 6/1 chance collared odds-on favourite Spanish Cara well inside the final furlong for a length and a half success.

“She’s a very straightforward filly, likes her work and likes her racing,” said winning trainer Andrew McNamara.

“She had a nice run in Cork in which she ran a bit green. It turned out quite a good maiden, a lot of winners came out of it. Colin says she’ll be better over a furlong further.

“We’ll make a plan from here and see what the owners want to do. There’s a good bunch of them involved (Rathconrath Racing Club). They’ve had a few runners but that’s their first winner, so hopefully there’ll be a few more to come.”

Saffronandblue, trained by Martin Brassil for Anthony Vaughan and Bernard Carroll, supplemented Leopardstown gains with victory in the Tote Fantasy Handicap.

The 11/4 favourite swept to the front approaching the straight and stayed on well under Ronan Whelan to beat Not Just Any Eagle by a length and a half.

Horse on the up

Whelan said: “He had the profile of a horse on the up. I think he wasn’t mad about conditions today and still got the job done. He’s still relatively lightly raced and just got a little bit lonely with me in front.

“Being by Fast Company, and the two feels I’ve got off him, he could be an extremes of ground specialist. It has dried out a bit today and he was able to go and win, so he’s versatile but probably would be better with a shower of rain on top of that.”

Ridden clear over a furlong out, Chris Hayes’ mount, owned by Mrs Edward Harty, only had a head to spare in the end over Sadiqaa.

Patrick Harty, who trains the six-year-old with his father Eddie, said: “An overdue win probably! He’s absolutely thrown in compared to his old mark.

“He loves these summer tracks, the hustle and bustle around here suits him and you can trick him along. All four of his wins have come right-handed.”

Dont Do Dramas (6/1) made most for Wesley Joyce to land the Guarantee Available On Course Handicap

Owned by the AJ Partnership, the Le Havre gelding was two and a half lengths too good for market leader Solar Drive.

Trainer Michael Mulvany said: “We were a little disappointed the last day in Cork that he wasn’t closer, but there was a big swing around in the weights with the favourite. There was 17lb of a swing and that made the difference.

“We rode him a little differently as well, we jumped him out, made the running and tried to stretch the favourite the whole way.

“We would try him over a mile and a half again. It’s a good stiff uphill finish here and he wasn’t stopping. He handles soft ground well but I think he’ll go on most ground.

“Wesley is back with us now and he’s part of the furniture at our place. He’s a great talent, a top-class jockey and we’d be hoping that he’ll go close in the apprentice title race this year.”

Good run

War Thunder, strong in the market at 5/1, continued trainer Paul Fynn’s good run in the Tote Now Online Apprentice Handicap when getting the better of a good tussle with Glyde Ranger by half-a-length.

This was the six-year-old gelding’s first run for Flynn who said: “I didn’t particularly fancy him.

“He’s a grand horse, he’d a few runs in Galway that were okay. One of them was behind a horse of mine, Golden Sandbanks, and even that run was probably good enough to win this race.

“He stayed at it well and we left everything off him for his first run for us.

“The owners (Old Stock Partnership) have stuck with him and deserved some kind of reward.”