THE eagerly awaited second appearance of the well-touted juvenile Auguste Rodin yielded a victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

Aidan O’Brien’s charge was a huge eye-catcher when finishing an unlucky second on his debut at the Curragh last month and such was the promise of that effort that he was sent off the overwhelming 30/100 favourite for this seven-furlong assignment.

The son of Deep Impact and the top-class Rhododendron had to work somewhat for this, but there was still plenty to like about this performance and his next start is eagerly awaited.

Auguste Rodin was showing in front entering the last couple of furlongs and soon came under pressure from Seamie Heffernan. He responded in taking fashion and entered the final furlong with a useful lead which he maintained to defeat Shadowed by two lengths.

“He had a lovely first run and he won easy. He gives me the feel of a proper horse and hopefully he keeps strengthening up. I’m mad about him,” said the winning rider.

Magic Mauiewowie

Mauiewowie made a striking start to her career with a smooth success in the five-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

The Eleanora Kennedy-owned daughter of Night Of Thunder is out of a half-sister to the brilliant Ghaiyyath and looks another quality performer to emerge from this family. The 6/4 favourite didn’t need much encouragement from Colin Keane to pick off the odds-on Silmaniya inside the last furlong and she had plenty to spare in defeating that rival by two and a quarter lengths.

“I’m not surprised she’s done that,” reported Ger Lyons. “I had contemplated starting her off in a stakes race, and I know she’s a stakes filly, so hopefully she might make up into a Cheveley Park filly in time.”

A day which featured a series of notable efforts on the juvenile front also witnessed a nice display from Keepupwithmyempire (5/2) in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Race over just short of six furlongs.

Keeping up

After making his debut when third to the subsequent Royal Ascot hero Little Brown Bear here in May, the Alpha Racing-owned son of Holy Roman Emperor looked all the better for that initial outing.

He breezed to the front for Shane Foley with over a furlong to run and dished out a four-length beating to Victoria Road who also filled the runner-up spot in a Curragh maiden the previous week.

“The ground was possibly slower than ideal but he quickened well and he might now go straight for the Ballyhane Stakes here next month before stepping up to group races,” remarked the trainer’s daughter Kate.

Pretty smart double for O’Leary

IT was a memorable afternoon for Ger O’Leary who notched up a double that was completed by Pretty Rebel in the featured Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap over just short of six furlongs.

This five-year-old was 12lb higher than when last successful 14 months ago and she had to contend with top weight, but she produced a performance which suggested she could be one to follow through the second half of the season.

Colin Keane produced the 84-rated 7/2 favourite to strike the front with over a furlong to run and settled this race quickly, two and a quarter lengths ahead of Sister Lola.

“We fancied her today and she is a nice filly with plenty of ability. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of her on the track and she’s very ground dependent. Even slower ground would help her a lot. Somewhere along the line we could target a fillies’ listed race with her,” reported assistant trainer Adrian Joyce.

Born to win

The first leg of O’Leary’s double came courtesy Born Invincible (8/1) in the second division of the Lacey’s Plumbing And Heating Supplies Apprentice Handicap over the same trip as the day’s feature. The 8/1 chance was produced with a strong last-furlong charge by Dylan Browne McMonagle to deny Eleuthera by three-quarters of a length.

“I’m delighted she’s won for her owner Sean Dalton.

“He was with me when I started training and now he’s with Ger. Soft ground is the key to her,” stated assistant trainer Adrian Joyce.

Levins again

The Johnny Levins team were on quite a roll last week and the trainer made it three winners from his last three runners when Showmolina (7/1) shed his maiden tag after 15 previous attempts in the first division of the Lacey’s Plumbing And Heating Supplies Apprentice Handicap.

The Saffron Star Syndicate-owned and Joey Sheridan-ridden five-year-old got on top inside the distance to see off Clara’s Approach by a length and a quarter.

WARREN Beach (11/4) has got on quite a roll since Ken Condon fitted him with blinkers and he made it three wins on the bounce in the Care At Home Services Race over seven furlongs. Once again the 93-rated son of Aclaim revelled in the opportunity to dictate and he looked most assured once Billy Lee had him showing in front after going a furlong.

Nothing could land much of a blow over the last quarter of a mile as the Roving Swan Partnership-owned gelding dished out a four-and-a-half-length beating to Corporal Violette.

Improving

“He’s improving and the blinkers have helped him concentrate. He got into a nice rhythm and he gets this trip well and will get a mile. He’s beaten some nice horses there,” reported the rider.

Brave Bear

Lee came within touching distance of a double aboard Rotolo in the 47-65 rated three-year-old handicap over 10 furlongs but he had to give best to Heather Bear (8/1) who was adding to her 50/1 triumph at Gowran Park last month for trainer Andrew Slattery.

Andy Slattery was on board this Ronan Tynan-owned filly who made much of the running and dug in bravely over the course of the last furlong to see off Rotolo by half a length.