SHANE Foley rode a treble at Sligo’s last flat fixture of the summer with Kodilicious (12/1) being his first winner of the evening in the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden.

Quietly fancied on her debut when down the field at Navan in May, the daughter of Kodi Bear led entering the straight to beat odds-on market leader Rebel Diamond by a length and three-quarters.

The winner is trained by Jessica Harrington for It’s All About The Girls, a syndicate which had enjoyed Galway Festival success with Ballybrit nursery winner Lady O.

“Seanie Byrne has done a great job with her at home because she’s not simple, she was hardy since she was a two-year-old,” said Foley.

“She was only ready to start in Navan and Mrs Harrington gave her plenty of time. We knew she’d enjoy this slow ground and she has plenty of pace.”

Foley and Harrington doubled up when 9/2 joint-favourite Gloriously Glam ran out a facile winner of the Guinness Nursery.

In the front rank throughout, the Profitable filly went clear early in the straight to beat Sunshineontheboyne by four and a half lengths.

“I got a present of it, we went really slow and I got to dictate,” said Foley of the Glamour & Glory Syndicate’s winner.

“She’d some okay maiden runs, she just got a bit lost at Leopardstown the last day on fast ground. I thought she’d run well, I wasn’t sure about the ground but she handled it well.”

Bit special

“Ronnie (Ronan Whelan) and myself bought her as a yearling and we were going to breeze her, but in the end we sold her to the girls, so it’s a bit more special.”

The Kilkenny rider completed his treble on 4/7 favourite Butter Fingers in the Rockshore Cider Handicap.

A wide-margin winner of a juvenile hurdle at Tipperary in July, Ross O’Sullivan’s charge led turning for home to see off Fine Print by half a length in the colours of Tommy Ward.

Foley said: “It takes him a while to warm into it but, in the end, he outstayed them. For a big horse I don’t think he was in love with that slower ground. It was a good bit of placing by Ross and his horses are flying. I’d say whatever he does on the flat will be a bonus compared to what he does over hurdles.”

It’s a yes for Niki No in Connacht Oaks

THE featured Irish Stallion Farms EBF Connacht Oaks was won by No Niki No (7/2) who made most under Chris Hayes.

Second in the corresponding race the previous year, she looked vulnerable when joined by Beechwood in the straight but found more to see off that rival by a neck.

Carrying the colours of Melissa O’Neill and Bill Eastwood, the daughter of Helmet is trained on the Curragh by Eoghan O’Neill who said: “She’s tough and deserved to win a nice prize like that. Chris recommended the last day that we take the blinkers off her and he was right.

“She’ll go for the Petingo Handicap at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend, she was fifth in it last year, and then we might look for a bit of blacktype in the autumn when the ground eases.”

Well-backed second favourite Noble Nation (7/2) and market leader Dark Viper pulled clear of their rivals to fight out the finish of the Carlsberg Handicap and it was the first-named who found a bit extra to score by a length and three-quarters.

For luck

The gaps opened for Joey Sheridan who had ridden for luck down the inner and his mount responded well to record a first victory on his sixth start.

Owned and trained by Ger O’Leary, the winner is a half-brother to the yard’s eight-time winner Primo Uomo.

Sheridan said: “The big thing with him is to keep him relaxed, so I just sat on him coming out of the stalls. It was tight coming down the straight but when you have the horse to take you there, you can get through the gaps.

“He had a look when he hit the front and there’s plenty of room for improvement.

“His future is going to be in handicaps and going through those gaps will make a man of him.”

O’Leary added: “Joey was patient and did a brilliant job. This horse is still a bit green but will get better and braver with racing.”

JOEY Sheridan completed a double on Killarney-trained, and appropriately named, Itsalonglongroad (12/1) who registered a seventh consecutive annual success when making all in the Rockshore Cider Handicap.

The Charles Coakley-trained gelding, owned by Patrick O’Leary, kept pulling out a bit more in the home straight to hold Susiesparkle by a length and a half

Sheridan said: “It was my first time to ride him. I have to mention Paddy Harnett who was second on him the last day at Ballinrobe but couldn’t ride him today, and got me the ride.

“I was able to dictate it and, if you get the fractions right on this lad, he’ll find for you. It’s nice to be getting chances like these and to ride a couple of winners.”

No horses changed hands following the Rockshore Lager Claiming Race which saw 9/4 favourite French Company register a fifth career success under champion jockey Colin Keane. The Jimmy Coogan-trained gelding, owned by his wife Annette, raced with the pace and held on to beat Newfire by a neck.

Keane commented: “He quickened up well but tied up a little bit near the line. He has a low action and this ground is probably as slow as he wants it. He’s not overly big but is mad genuine and is very competitive in his grade.”