Favourite Nation coasts home
Azarouak tried to make all, but the winner eased past with over a furlong to run and quickly drew clear to beat Marfinca a comfortable three and a half lengths.
Winning trainer Dermot Weld was represented by his son, Kris, who said: “We were concerned about the rain getting into the ground. We have no immediate plans, but that will do his confidence good.”
Commented rider, Pat Smullen: “The ground is beautiful on the far side, but a bit dead in the straight. He’s had some tough tasks this season and deserved that. He will go on from here.”
Alayan, who made little show on his debut at the Curragh a week earlier, showed the benefit of that experience when easily beating market leader, Belle Artiste, in the Irish Stallion Farms’ Median Auction Maiden.
The son of Sri Pekan was far from neglected in the market as well, finding 100-30 from a little 9-2.
Michael Kinane soon had him in front and Alayan stayed on stoutly up the straight to repel the favourite with ease.
Said Kinane: “He was very green at the Curragh. We knew he had come on a nice bit and decided to let him take his chance.”
Kestrel Heights, who disappointed in her previous race, came back to form under an inspired drive from Fran Berry in the Irish Stallion Farms’ Fillies Handicap.
Berry got a dream run towards the outside to lead at the furlong pole and then held on from a decidedly unlucky Peineve, who found all the trouble going for much of the straight.
“She needs cover and didn’t settle last time,” commented trainer, Eoin Griffin. “We will freshen her up now and Galway will be next.”
Spring Opera was the business in the ring for the Kopparbergs’ Pear Cider Fillies Maiden, finding 11-10 from 6-4, but went down by a head to David Wachman’s Perfecto.
Superbly bred, by Peintre Celebre out of Irish 1000 Guineas winner, Tarascon, Perfecto forged ahead just over a furlong down and Michael Cleere kept her going in fine style in the closing stages.
Cleere, riding the 12th winner of his career, said: “She did it nicely and is useful over that trip.”
The Tom Hogan trained Solemn Promise powered to the front off the home turn for David Moran in the Budweiser Summer Handicap.
The Entrepreneur mare, however, was attacked all the way to the line by Stuttgart, just lasting out to score by the narrowest of margins.
Solemn Promise is owned by the three-member Kap Syndicate from Nenagh and a delighted Hogan reported: “The head of the syndicate, Pat O’Brien, bought her himself for €3,000 out of Con Collins’.”
The Nad-Scotts Handicap produced a terrific tussle between Nic’s Colleen and top weight, Shaykhan.
The pair went toe-to-toe all the way up the straight, with Danny Grant driving Nic’s Colleen to a short head victory in the last stride.
The Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Handicap was another closely fought affair, with the heavily- backed Dow Jones rallying to beat the flattering Moore’s Law.
The latter looked the likely through the final two furlongs, but the trail-blazing Dow Jones battled back strongly to grab the advantage close home, under an excellent Jerry O’Dwyer drive.
