RONAN Whelan rode his first winner for Aidan O’Brien when partnering 12/1 chance Grateful to win the featured Group 3 Darley Irish EBF Stanerra (Fillies and Mares) Stakes at Fairyhouse on Wednesday evening.

Prominent from the outset, Whelan led over a furlong out on the Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith/Westerberg- owned three-year-old, staying on strongly to win by half a length.

Stable representative Chris Armstrong reported: “In fairness in all her races this year she’s been coming forward with each run. She ran a lovely race last time. Ronan gave her a lovely ride, that’s his first winner for Aidan. With Wayne suspended it’s best available at the moment, especially for those light weights.

“He gave her a lovely ride, kept it uncomplicated, let her stride into it nicely from the top of the straight. She got a bit lonely in front, but she stuck at it well. The plan was, if she ran well here, she’d go to Goodwood for the Lillie Langtry.

“Then we’ll look at all those nice staying races in the autumn. She appreciates that trip, handles an ease in the ground and she’s a filly to look forward to for the backend. She’s progressing nicely with each run. The other filly (Lily Hart) ran a cracker to finish fourth.”

Familial success

Trainer Pat O’Donnell and his daughter Sylvia enjoyed a memorable success in the Fairyhouse Summer BBQ Rated Race with Extensio.

Owned by Una O’Donnell, the 7/2 chance kept on well inside the final furlong to win by a length and a half.

“I said to her (Sylvia) coming in that we’ll get rid of that 10lb claim anyhow! She has one more to go,” said Pat O’Donnell.

“This horse has been an absolute friend to our family. I was a bit critical of myself the last day when we came here to have our first run of the season. He blew the house down afterwards and I went home really critical of myself that I hadn’t him quite ready for that sort of a task, but we got him right.”

Upwards curve

“This horse continues to improve. I had a chat with (handicapper) Garry O’Gorman earlier purely out of curiosity about the conditions of this race because it cut up disappointingly.

“He said you’ve got to look at Galway but I just feel that even for the flat ground there they will water and he rattles off that. I think I’ll avoid that temptation. We’ve got to look at the English Cesarewitch, obviously he’ll creep up a bit now.

“Joey (Sheridan) in Newmarket last year said maybe two is your job. He might have earned an entry into the Irish Cesarewitch if we can creep in. I was a little bit cautious because of how much the race took out of him the last day. Everyone had a good chat and we outlined how to get him back. It took him a while to get back to eating. We took his blood last week and scoped him and we were happy.

“It was hard to resist running with only six being declared and for Sylvia it was a nice race to ride in. She works full-time in BBA in the shipping department and rides out for Ken Condon every morning. She comes home at the weekend and sleeps, and that’s allowed! It’s wonderful and we think we have a couple of others for her to ride during the summer.” 

THE Michael O’Callaghan-trained colt Black Forza stepped up from his racecourse debut to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

Seamie Heffernan produced the 6/1 chance from off the pace to lead over a furlong out. Carrying the familiar colours of Eleanora Kennedy, the son of Complexity kept on nicely to win by one and a quarter lengths.

“He’s a nice colt, he had a lovely run the first day at the Curragh,” said Michael O’Callaghan.

“We were happy to come here and bring him back to six as he has a lot of pace. He learned plenty that day at the Curragh and Seamie was very complimentary of him there.

“It was very straightforward and he’s a nice colt, he’s learning all the time and still has a bit of learning to do.

“He’s solid and mature and I’d say we’ll kick on with him for the rest of the summer. He’s a very good mover, likes fast ground and Seamie said he handled the undulations of the track here. We might go across the water as the summer progresses for a stakes race.”  

Easily clear

Four Blondes gained well-deserved success for trainer Ross O’Sullivan in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. Sent off a well supported 3/1 joint-favourite, the John Bowden-owned filly led two furlongs out under Shane Foley, going clear for an easy three and a half length success.

“It was lovely to get a maiden with her, she’s a filly that had good form last year,” said O’Sullivan.

“She finished fifth at the Curragh last time, Shane had ridden her work and was fairly confident with her. She had come on a good bit from her last run.

“You’d imagine that Curragh form was going to stand to her today, as this mightn’t have been the strongest of maidens.

“Aidan’s came out and Joseph’s came out so you could understand why she shortened in price. She deserved that on last year’s form. She’s by Gleneagles and wouldn’t mind a little bit more ease in the ground. She’s out of a six-time-winning Exceed And Excel mare, but seven furlongs to a mile would be fine.

“She can be a little bit saucy and has a little bit of a funny head carriage but she could be progressive.

“She came out of the breeze-ups here last year and it’s brilliant for John (Bowden) to get a winner, she’s a grand filly to have. She has a nice pedigree and to win a maiden with her will help.”

CURRAGH trainer Johnny Feane continued his excellent recent form when sending out 11/8 favourite Signor Ferrari to land the opening Fairyhouse Summer Season Claiming Race.

Hugh Horgan produced the three-year-old, who also carried Feane’s colours, to lead over a furlong out, before battling bravely to hold a trio of late finishers by a neck.

Horgan said: “Thank God I got a bit of room and I got through and he stuck his head out where it mattered.

“He has a lovely turn of foot for a mile and a quarter and he stays it very well. He’s a nice horse and an easy ride.”

The Michael Grassick-trained Verhoyen recorded the eighth success of his remarkable career when making virtually all to win the Dino Day Handicap.

Adopting his customary front running tactics under Danny Sheehy, the nine-year-old was strongly pressed by Tawaazon early in the straight but rallied gamely on the inside rail to see off that challenger before holding the late run of Mount Ruapehu by half a length.

The son of Piccolo carried the colours of Paul Cullen, Joe Keeling and Michael Grassick. 

For Johnnie

Adrian McGuinness and Cian MacRedmond won the concluding Chill & Grill Handicap with 14/1 chance Skontonovski. The seven-year-old travelled easily throughout, making headway to lead a furlong from the finish, before keeping on strongly to win by a length and a quarter.

Cian MacRedmond later said of the Jimmy Fairhurst-owned gelding: “They jumped and went quite hard in front. I had a lovely position and to be fair horses just fell away in front of me.

“This is a great lift for the yard, as everyone knows Ado lost his brother Johnnie during the week and he was buried today.

“He was a great supporter of the game, he was always at the race meetings and he enjoyed his horses as well as his farming. This one is dedicated to him.”