OWNER the Aga Khan Studs, trainer Dermot Weld, and stable jockey Chris Hayes combined for a notable double at Cork on Friday, winning the featured Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Give Thanks Stakes with Shamida before Romzina scored on debut.

A dual Group 3 winner over a mile and six furlongs last year, Shamida (4/1) was having her second start of the year in Friday’s race and moved to lead with over two furlongs to race, battled well to eventually score by a half-length from Mother Nature.

Afterwards Kris Weld, representing his father, said: “She is a very brave and honest filly and a very good one. The distance was slightly short for her but she showed a good turn of foot at the top of the straight. She has plenty of entries in the autumn and she’ll be going back up to Group 1 level again.”

Justified

Thirty-five minutes later another Aga Khan-homebred, and Le Havre-sired, Romzina justified strong market confidence (returned 5/2 favourite) when scoring by a half-length from twice-raced North Africa.

Kris Weld commented: “She is a nice big filly and has been a backward type. We haven’t been in any great hurry with her and she was just ready to come racing today. She put up a very professional performance as there were some nice fillies there with good form.

“She has plenty of maturing to do yet and hopefully she can progress and be a nice filly for the autumn. We’ll see how she gets on in the coming weeks before possibly looking to next year.”

Super win

The Listed Irish Stallion Farms Irish EBF Platinum Stakes was won quite impressively by the Paddy Twomey-trained, Countess Of Harrington-owned Super Sox (11/4 joint-favourite), which scored a one and three-quarter lengths win under jockey Billy Lee, from Dance Night Andday.

The Showcasing filly travelled strongly through the race and afterwards an impressed Twomey reported: “She is a nice filly and all her runs had been good but she won very impressively running quick sectional times on Guineas weekend. She did a 10.5 and an 11.07 (seconds) for the final two furlongs.

“Billy said she could come back to six furlongs next year and we think she has a good future.”

RACING began with the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, which saw well-touted Group 1-entered Magnum Force justify strong 10/11 favouritism, under champion jockey Colin Keane, for trainer Ger Lyons and owner Abdulla Alkhalifa.

The Mehmas colt had finished second on debut at Naas last month and today quickened smartly from mid-field when eventually beating runner-up Bobbi Rosa by a length and three quarters.

Lyons’ assistant and brother, Shane Lyons, reported: “We were disappointed he got beaten the last day but it rained, the ground became a little slow and he was stuffy and ran like he needed it.

“Entries for the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes closed the other day so we had that choice to make and entered him, but we’ll take baby steps up now, although winners’ races are few and far between.”

Bargain-buy

There were two bargain-buy winners on the card, with October’s 2,000 guineas purchase Ginormous (17/2) landing the Buy Tickets Online At www.corkracecourse.ie Handicap for owner/trainer Micky Fenton.

The Bungle Inthejungle gelding was held up behind the leaders, led over a furlong out and defeated Emerald Harmony by a length and a half.

Fenton wasn’t present and afterwards winning jockey Seamie Heffernan reported: “Mick doesn’t usually give me instructions but said to get cover as it is important in the first half of the race with him. I’m not usually able to, but I was able to ride to instructions today and it worked!”

Sprinting Spirit

The concluding Cork Handicap was won in fine style by recently claimed Bucaneer’s Spirit, which sprinted away from his rivals under jockey Ronan Whelan, to defeat runner-up Elegant Madame by three and three quarter lengths.

Winning trainer Jack Davison said: “He looks like he has been a great claim really as he finished second for me first time out at Tipperary last week. I actually saw him going down to the start at Dundalk and he immediately caught the eye, as he looked like a horse who shouldn’t be running in a claimer. He had a good action, was a very big horse and flew home for second having had little luck in-running from stall 14. I thought he was value for €5,000. 

“His owner Staton Flurry is from Arkansas, is a prominent owner in America and this is his first foray into European racing so I’m delighted to train a winner for him.”

SERIALISE (11/1) registered her second career success as the Jessica Harrington-trained, Shane Foley-partnered filly landed the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap for owner Robert Lanigan.

Afterwards Foley said: “I was a bit worried about the track and the race being too sharp (distance-wise) but Dylan (Browne McMonagle, jockey) was dixying away and gave us something to aim at. 

“I was a little uncomfortable when she came off the bridle in the middle part of the race but is a filly who stays well and probably wants to go a mile and a turning track might suit her better.”

Seventh success

Hurricane Helen (10/1) registered a seventh success in the Follow Us On Social Media Handicap for trainer Chris Timmons, jockey Gary Carroll and owner Derek Dunne.

The grey mare was initially short of room early in the home straight but powered home to eventually score by a neck from Unterberg.

Timmons commented: “It was a competitive race and she had to wait to get out, but luckily did so in time. There is a long straight here so she had time to get into top gear. In fairness she hasn’t run a bad race for us.

“She has been a winner in waiting for her last couple of runs. She is in at Leopardstown on Thursday but it is a much higher bracket and we’ll see how she comes out of this.”