JOSEPH O’Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle won the featured Group 3 Denny Cordell Lavarack & Lanwades Stud Fillies & Mares Stakes at Gowran Park on Saturday afternoon with Je Zous.

Sent off 17/2, the Go Racing Limited-owned filly stayed on strongly to beat One Look by one and three-quarter lengths.

“She’s a good filly, her runs are very solid this year and she was dropping down in class today,” said O’Brien.

“It was a good ride from Dylan. The owners are New Zealand-based and she’ll be going to Australia at some stage. Whether she has another run here or not on the way, we’ll see. The ground is well-watered here today and they’ve done a very good job with the going.”

Double

Aidan O’Brien and Wayne Lordan teamed up to win the opening two races on the card. Island Hopping led close home to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden by a head for owners Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mrs John Magnier.

Lordan said of the 3/1 winner: “She’s a filly that’s going to improve plenty and I think going further next year, she’s going to be fine. She’s a fine big filly to look at and you can imagine what she does this year will be a stepping stone to next year.”

County Mayo completed the brace for O’Brien and Lordan, when making all for a two-and-three-quarter-length win in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Maiden.

Owned by Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, the 8/1 chance proved too strong for favourite Tribal Nation.

Lordan reported: “I was able to get into that nice rhythm and he kept galloping all the way to the line, he’s a horse that’s going to stay well next year. The second horse got to my boot and my fella went forward and that was it, that’s as much as I saw, thank God. He’s a fine big horse, he made a lovely step forward from his first run and hopefully he can do that again.”

SAM Coen had a day he will never forget; riding his first career winner aboard Rock Etoile in the Join The Gowran Park Racing Club Handicap. Trained by Andrew Slattery, the 6/1 chance kept on strongly inside the final furlong to win by three lengths for owner John J Moloney.

“It’s great for Sam to get his first winner,” said Slattery. “He’s very good value and he’s probably a bit more than a 10lb claimer at the moment. He’s tidy and rides well. He stumbled and nearly came down, I don’t know what happened.

“He did it well and he’s always capable in that class. He’s a grand handicapper and it’s great to have the likes of him for the apprentices, to get them going.”

Rare combination

Champion Jockey Colin Keane rode a rare winner for Johnny Murtagh, when partnering Tanazadia to an easy five-and-a-half-length success in the Racing Again October 4th & 5th Maiden. Sent off 11/10 favourite, the Aga Khan-owned filly stretched clear inside the final furlong.

Keane later said: “She more so lengthens and gallops, rather than quickens. We had a good draw today and unless something really wanted to go we were going to take full use of our draw. She’s not the biggest in the world, but she’s very hardy and genuine and wants to please you.

“That’s a good trip for her and I’d say she’s versatile ground-wise. She could be well in in a handicap now after today and hopefully it’s onwards and upwards.”

KEANE later completed a double when making all on the Ger Lyons-trained Formal Display to win the Gowran Park For Golf Race. Owned by Juddmonte, the 10/3 chance stayed on strongly to score by four and a quarter lengths.

Assistant trainer, Andrew Duff said: “That’s what we’ve expected all year and it hasn’t happened. He faced the blinkers, we put them on him the other morning and they really sharpened him up. Colin got him out in front and, when Colin gets off, there is no pegging him back.

“He’s disappointed us all year, so that’s more like it. The wheels are back on the wagon now. He needed that, because he was going nowhere. He was good at two and we thought he’d progress. Hopefully, this will give him the kick he needs to drive on again.”

Ger’s brace

Trainer Ger Lyons was also registering a second winner on the card, having landed the Support The Irish Injured Jockeys Fund Apprentice Handicap with 5/1 chance Best Law.

Jack Kearney made virtually all on the Gaelic Thoroughbreds-owned gelding for a one-length success.

Assistant trainer, Andrew Duff said: “It was a lovely ride from Jack, he did exactly what he was told and he knows the horse. He got to dictate in front and all he does is grind it out. It was pretty much a carbon copy of the ride Gary (Carroll) gave him in Tramore. He’s a work in progress, but he’s doing the job and we’re delighted for Phil Burns, who sourced him. It’s great for him to get another winner. He got badly struck into the last day in Naas, so that wasn’t his true running.”