Stamina gains the day for battling Vatirisk
Those who had no fear of trading at odds-on on Dermot Weld’s Quality Team were entitled to begin counting the winnings when he forged to the front under four furlongs down.
The five-year-old turned for home holding a clear advantage, but approaching the furlong pole his stride, rather dramatically, began to shorten.
Suddenly, Vatirisk and long-time leader, 50-1 chance Shannon Ranger, came back at him and it was the first named who found most in the closing stages, as Quality Tream faded into fourth place.
Said O’Grady: “We were going to go ’chasing with him after he won at Galway. But the plan now is back hurdling for a while and then ’chasing.’’
Fnan, often a dodgy jumper in the past, was given a typically dashing drive by Paul Carberry to justify well-backed favouritism in the Denny Gold Medal Handicap Chase.
Bottom weight Glacial Sygnet tried to make all, but Fnan, who hardly put a foot wrong, came from behind to track the leader going to the third last.
Carberry asked for an effort heading to the home turn and Fnan answered the call to storm three lengths clear in the straight.
Winning trainer, Noel Meade, stayed at home and was represented by his partner, Gilian O’Brien.
“We’ll have to give Noel the sack, that’s the 12th winner in-a-row we have had that he hasn’t seen’’, reported O’Brien. “Ground permitting, he will probably now go to Listowel for the Kerry National.’’
Contacted at his base, Meade felt that the round dozen was an exaggeration, although admitting it could be “nine or ten.’’
The layers got a result when Irene Oakes’ 14-1 shot Royal Fortune easily won the Tattersalls Ireland Median Auction Maiden.
He was in front over five furlongs out and found plenty in the straight to easily hold the late run of Blue Corrig.
Said Oakes: “I took him to Galway, thought he was a certainty and he idled in front.
“I brought him to Gowran, again thought he was a certainty and he idled. Today I told Niall (McCullagh) not to let him see the light of day and he goes out and makes most of the running.’’
Dungarvan handler Declan Queally saddled his first winner on the flat when Wacky Sport beat Exile a neck in the Lee Strand Handicap.
Confidently handled by the trainer’s son, Tom, Wacky Sport got the better of a stirring tussle with market leader Exile, after the pair went past the trail-blazing Dear Catch inside the final furlong.
“We hope this fellow will jump a hurdle in time’’, said Queally, who has some fifteen horses in his care.
“It’s great to win here, he fairly romped home’’, said local handler Tom Cooper, after his Westfield Star took the Kerryman Ltd Australian Jockey Club Handicap.
Taghg O’Shea was under orders to hold up the colt, but he took a fierce hold from the start.
O’Shea, wisely, allowed him stride on well before the straight and Westfield Star galloped on powerfully to beat Lake Millstatt, who came from off the pace, by four lengths. Cooper’s charge now heads for Listowel.
Star Of Juniper, the only horse trained by Pat Flynn for Sue Magnier, powered through late, under Michael Kinane, to land the Giles and Co Auctioneers’ Maiden.
“Michael liked her and said there’s plenty improvement to come’’, reported Flynn. “She will go for a winners’ of one and then a listed race.’’
For most of the straight Just Wondering, ridden by Pat Smullen, looked sure to defy the steadier of 10-0 in the Billy Naughton-Citroen Handicap.
But it wasn’t to be, as David Condon produced Hidden Genius to grab the lead in the dying strides. Hidden Genius was a welcome change of luck for Frances Crowley, who is, of course, Smullen’s wife.
The Tom McGiff Plumbing Maiden Hurdle was a dreadful contest, but that will not have worried punters with victory going to hot-pot Berkeley Bay.
Michael Halford’s mare was always on the pace for Paul Carberry, led with a mile to run and was clear from the third last.
