ELINOR Dashwood (4/1) swooped inside the final furlong to land the featured fillies’ handicap for trainer Ado McGuinness.

The Kodi Bear filly, owned by Mrs Catherine Cashman, was held up in the early stages of this seven-furlong contest by Ronan Whelan and she got to the front inside the final furlong to go on and post a two-and-a-quarter-length win over Barnhill Rose.

“She was very free in Naas and I decided to put her asleep in the Curragh the last day,” said McGuinness. “We learned a lot from her there over six, the way she came home.

“I said to Ronny to put her asleep again today and ride her cold, which he did and she relaxed really well. She’ll get further and she might go for the big fillies’ handicap in the Curragh, if not we could look at Galway.  She’ll be well able to get up the hill in Galway.”

Retaining titles

Trustyourinstinct had won the Thomastown Race in 2023 and the 6/5 favourite repeated the dose under Declan McDonogh. 

J.P. McManus’ homebred son of Churchill was well-in at the weights and McDonogh kept things simple on Joseph O’Brien’s four-year-old who made all to beat Cristal Cleere by three and a quarter lengths. The winner was taking his tally on the flat to three wins from four starts after adding a hurdles victory at Tramore last month. 

Racing manager Frank Berry remarked: “He enjoyed that, he’s a bit happier at that than he is over hurdles. He liked the ground and did it nicely, stretched away nicely.

“He might go back over hurdles again, he’s getting the hang of the jumping eventually and we have a few choices coming up with him. We’ll see what Joseph wants to do.”

THE Parthenon, trained by Aidan O’Brien for the Coolmore partners, made fairly heavy weather of landing odds of 4/11 in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

The son of Kingman, not beaten far in a Group 3 at the Curragh on debut, was pushed along in mid-division approaching the straight but came through to dispute the lead with newcomer Loch Tay over a furlong out. Wayne Lordan’s mount went on inside the final 150 yards to account for that rival by three-parts-of a length. 

“He had to work, he’s still very green and raw,” said stable representative Chris Armstrong. “The step up to seven definitely helped him but coming around a bend for the first time he was very green. He jumped slow and it was going to be tricky for him but his ability got him through.

“He’ll be a nice horse in time and we could maybe go for something like the Tyros Stakes with him next.”

Fresh success

Fourth in a hot Curragh juvenile maiden on her only start for Ken Condon, Thalara (5/1) overcame a layoff of 630 days to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden. 

Billy Lee brought the daughter of Awtaad from mid-division to lead inside the final furlong and she kept on well to account for Daboya by a-length-and-a-half. 

Marianne Klay’s homebred four-year-old is now under the care of Henry de Bromhead who said: “She’s a nice filly, I’m delighted for Marianne and Des (Leadon) who very kindly sent her down.”

“It was her first run for a while and Billy said she was a bit fresh but ran on really well. I’m delighted with her, she’s probably still a bit green as well but she’s a lovely filly and has a great pedigree.”

Caffrey’s first

Adam Caffrey struck on his first ride for Dermot Weld when scoring on Tachos (5/1) in the apprentice handicap.

The Gleneagles filly, owned by the Oak Spring Syndicate, came to lead passing the two pole in the nine-furlong contest and kept on well in the closing stages to hold the challenge of Puturhandstogether by a neck.

“Adam rode exactly as we thought the race might pan out and I think his jockeyship is excellent,” said Weld.

“That’s probably her right trip, she’s a mile and a quarter filly.  During the summer hopefully there is another one for her.”