KILLEANEY Bear completed wins in three consecutive months at Cork on Wednesday, as Andy Slattery’s gelding landed the concluding Racing Again October 1st Handicap, under the trainer’s son Andrew Slattery.

The three-year-old raced prominently throughout before beating Koniag by three-quarters of a length.

Slattery senior, who trains Killeaney Bear for owner Charles Kerwin, stated: “We made the running in Galway, but it didn’t suit and, while we didn’t want to make it today, they went no gallop and we prefer a faster pace. 

“He is a big raw horse, is 16.2hh and I think he will make a nice four-year-old. We thought he was a nice two-year-old, he always showed a bit and he is a racy looking type. He is improving all the time and we might give him one more run before the end of the season.”

Grand performance

Another capable performer Grand City Hall registered a second course and distance success over today’s six-furlong straight course as the Jarlath Fahey-trained gelding landed the Follow Us On Instagram Handicap under jockey Ronan Whelan for owners Park Hill Racing.

The son of The Irish Rover was held up in rear by Whelan, who produced him to lead inside the final furlong, beating runner-up Imperial Dream by a length and a half.

Trainer Fahey reported: “If the ground stays quick, he’ll run at the Curragh in two weeks’ time and could go on the all-weather, but there mightn’t be a whole lot for him at Dundalk. He’s had a good season, so if we get another run out of him we do, and if we don’t we don’t.”

JOCKEY Billy Lee and owner Nigel O’Hare recorded doubles on the card, with the pair beginning by combining to land the opening Irish EBF Auction Series Race with Rebel Diamond (2/9 favourite).

The Natalia Lupini-trained colt had previously won at Naas in August and today made all for a comfortable success over Temperance. 

Lupini’s partner Craig Bryson said: “He had to carry plenty of weight and we were worried about the second horse as she doesn’t look too bad, but he did it well in the end. He’s improving and he loves that fast ground.

“There’s another race back here — an auction final over six — which is a possibility, and there’s a listed in Fairyhouse that’s also a possibility, but we’ll see how the horse is.”

Lee completed his double in the Follow Us On Social Media Maiden on the Henry de Bromhead-trained Rubies From Burma (13/8 favourite), which won easily, despite having raced keenly.

Well-bred

The Justin Casse-owned daughter of American Pharoah is out of a half-sister to English Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck and following his second success, Lee commented: “She is a nicely-bred filly and is a fine, strong girl with a big stride on her. I rode her for the first time at Leopardstown and I thought she would improve a nice bit from there.

“I was keen to let her use her stride, but not go too quick and wanted to make the running or sit handy. She was a little keen, but will learn that in time and her ability got her through and she won nicely. That trip was nice and the ground was lovely for her.”

Opening race winning owner Nigel O’Hare completed a double of his own in the Mallow Handicap (division one), as his part-owned Distillate – along with Mark Devlin and Philip Smith – won narrowly under Adam Caffrey.

Winning trainer Ado McGuinness wasn’t present and Caffrey commented: “She was good and tough, we got a lovely position and got a lovely lead everywhere into the race.

“She can hang right in her races and does so especially in the latter stages and, while a furlong down I didn’t think I was getting there, she toughed it out well. Seven furlongs is her ideal distance the older she is getting.”

THE Coolmore Gleneagles Irish EBF (C&G) Maiden, was won easily by 8/13 favourite Comanche Brave who had little difficulty beating runner-up Elusive Duke by four and a half lengths, in a race where second-favourite Winter Bonfire pulled up in the early stages having lost his action.

Winning trainer Donnacha O’Brien trains Comanche Brave for the Coolmore partners and afterwards successful jockey Gavin Ryan reported: “He jumped smart, travelled through the first half of the race well and when I asked him to quicken up, he did so really easily. He is very straightforward, he goes on any ground and has a lovely, lovely attitude.”

The Adrian Murray-trained Jaliyah (7/1) made it third time lucky in the Irish Stallion Farms Irish EBF Fillies Maiden, scoring a half-length success under Robert Whearty for owner Giselle De Aguiar.

Afterwards Whearty commented: “She had a lovely run the whole way and I was able to let her roll up through them. She is a nice filly, is plenty big and handled that ground well.”

Local success

Local owner/trainer Rodger Sweeney landed the Mallow Handicap (division two) with Lorr’s Girl (10/1), which scored a first win at the 11th attempt, for rider Jamie Powell.

Produced from rear, the Kodi Bear-filly improved to lead in the closing stages, beating Akeela by a half-length.

Winning jockey Jamie Powell commented: “I rode her the last day when she didn’t get home on the slower ground in Gowran (fourth) and I knew at the two (pole) today that she would be bang there, and she’d hit the line well.

“The lads said she is a bit tricky at home, but has ability and seems to be coming into to her own now. Hopefully, she can keep going the right way.”