LUKE Comer completed a head-exploding ‘1-3’ with a pair of horses each priced at 200/1 in Roscommon’s Connolly’s Red Mills Apprentice Maiden, winning the race with Navajo River, which had a Betfair SP of 983.

Property developer Comer’s Dunboyne yard sent three home-bred runners for today’s 12-runner mile and four-furlong race with his Dark Miss making the running, with Navajo River, under Paddy Harnett, held up in rear.

Navajo River made progress in the home straight and eventually swooped to lead at the line, edging past lazy-going 8/11 favourite Fisherman’s Beach for a head success.

The winner’s stablemate Dark Miss battled well to finish third, also at 200/1, although Comer’s shortest-priced runner Cold Cold Heart, at 150/1, finished 70 lengths last.

Comer had previously sent He Knows No Fear to win a Leopardstown maiden at 300/1 in August 2020, a record since equalled by Sawbuck in May 2022, and following today’s success his assistant Jim Gorman reported: “We knew he was a nice horse and stayed well but he was a bit disappointing on his last run when he was very green. He was still green today.

“The other one, Dark Miss, ran a cracker and made it a good pace all the way. She was just unlucky that she didn’t stay but he came home well.

“We haven’t any plans where we go next, probably a handicap but I don’t know. It’s great to get a winner.”

Slattery servant

Racing began with the District Speciality Coffee Claimer, which was won by the Andy Slattery-trained Khafaaq (7/4 favourite), which was subsequently claimed by trainer Pat Martin for €8,000.

Ridden by 7lb claimer Cian Horgan, the eight-year-old raced prominently throughout and scored readily from Bal De Rio.

Slattery stated: “He’s been a great servant and that’s eight he has won now for the Eight Star Syndicate. Last April I didn’t know whether we were ever going to get him back to win a race but he’s come back fine.

“If he’s claimed he’s claimed, he’s eight years of age now and we bought him for five grand, and he has won eight races for us.” He added: “He was well in at the weights, I only put him in for eight grand because he has a few issues. The plan was to keep it simple, follow Magnetic North and hit him with one run. Cian is coming on nicely and his claim is handy in those races.”

FOR the first time this season, four-time champion jockey Colin Keane has opened up a clear lead at the head of the title race and won the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden on the Ger Lyons-trained, Beauty Stable Partnership-owned Beauty Thunder (11/4).

The success moved Keane five winners clear of Bill Lee (52-47) in the championship and afterwards Shane Lyons, representing his brother, reporting on their winner: “He’s a work in progress.

“He was fresh and free for the first furlong in Galway, where he got a bump coming out of the stalls and it lit him up.

“Galway made a man of him, he learned an awful lot from it. There was a little bit of a ragged start there, and the lads were shouting, and he was in Colin’s hands but because of Galway he did everything right in front.

“He was very game. He’s a Night Of Thunder and they handle that ground, which is a plus. Colin said hopefully going forward he might get a nice mark for a nursery and then we can take it from there.”

Coen double

The other maiden on the card was the Murray Ambulance (Fillies) Maiden, which provided jockey Ben Coen with the first leg of a double, on the Johnny Murtagh-trained, Aga Khan-owned Hazalaya (11/8).

By Paddington’s sire Siyouni, Hazalaya travelled well passing leader Muhaarar’s Girl a furlong out and easily beat that rival by three and three quarter lengths.

Coen commented: “We liked her early on but it took her a few runs to find her feet. The drop down to seven (furlongs) really suited her, she has a few gears and picked up and won nicely.

“She had cheekpieces on the last day and probably did a bit too much early. She’s a speedy filly and we like her going forward.”

Coen completed his double in the concluding Sean Cleary Memorial Handicap on the frustrating Tony Martin-trained Secret Rock (7/1, for owners Newtown Anner Stud), which was having his first run since April.

Martin said: “We can’t put our finger on him, he’s promised to do that but he didn’t deliver until today. He won well over hurdles but it just hasn’t worked completely for him. He’s odd but it worked well today which is great.”

Bowen is the man for Kinirons

ANDREW Kinirons’ excellent recent record continued with the gambled success of Yermanthere (morning 7/1, returned 10/3) in the Londis Roscommon Handicap.

Afterwards the trainer was full of praise for winning jockey Sean Bowen, commenting: “I am very impressed with Sean who did exactly what we asked. Sean will be getting plenty of rides for us after that, we were very impressed.”

Three of Kinirons last four runners have now won, with the beaten horse finishing third and he added: “Yermanthere loves that ground and he’s a really honest horse.

“We had him for one run previously and we fancied him today. The ground is probably the key to him and we’ll tip away on soft.

“It’s great, he’s another horse bred by the Brownes (Kilnamoragh Stud), and it’s great to have another winner for Ray McSharry. They are great owners and enjoyed that one.”

Lightly-weighted Nemonte justified strong 5/6 favouritism with her sights lowered to the Irish EBF Auction Series Race, scoring under 7lb claimer Conor Stone-Walsh for trainer Joseph O’Brien.

A Curragh winner on May debut, the Ten Sovereigns filly carried Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s colours when finishing seventh at Royal Ascot in June and fourth at Group 3 level in July. Today she made use of a 22lb-concession from top-weight and runner-up My Mate Alfie to beat that rival by a length and a half.

O’Brien’s representative Sean Corby reported: “Nemonte has been a solid filly so far with three good runs. Today looked an ideal opportunity, with Conor’s 7lb claim as well. He kept it simple from her good draw and it worked out nicely.

“She looked nice and relaxed for him in front, he was able to set his own fractions and she picked up well in the straight and went through the ground well.”