Nysaean plunders second Group prize
The four-year-old was landing his second successive Group Three event in the hands of Fortune who was deputising for Richard Hughes who was riding at Chantilly.
The son of Sadler’s Wells may have been rather reluctant to go down to the start, being walked part of the way by Fortune but showed plenty of enthusiasm in the race itself which he dominated from the off.
Handel, a winner of a maiden at Leopardstown last month for Aidan O’Brien was the even money favourite for the race but could never get in a serious blow at the 7-4 second favourite on ground that was soft in the home straight.
Nysaean was travelling strongly on the downhill run to the straight with the Handel and Tipperary All Star, a recent course and distance winner, appearing to be going quite well.
However, when Fortune asked the top weight to lengthen his stride he quickly opened up a decisive advantage to defeat Handel by three lengths.
“Our horse did it very well on ground that helped him. He is the best horse we have got,” said Richard Hannon jnr, son of the winning trainer.
“The first thing Jimmy said when he jumped off him was that the horse had improved again and we did feel he was better this time than when he won here at the end of April,” he added.
Hannon indicated that the horse would be campaigned over this 10-furlong trip, and would probably be entered in races such as the English and Irish Champion Stakes.
“Handel has still some maturing to do mentally according to Michael Kinane. Better ground would suit but possibly the Irish Derby will come a bit early for him,” added O’Brien of his runner up.
Meanwhile Powerscourt is a “possible” runner in the Budweiser Irish Derby at the Curragh on June 29 after pleasing connections in a racecourse gallop.
The Sadler’s Wells colt, who was runner up to Brian Boru in the Racing Post Trophy last season, worked over 10 furlongs after racing at the Curragh.
Powerscourt worked along with Ice Dancer and Chevalier with the former taking them along at a good clip before Powerscourt moved through.
The colt had been kept on the sidelines after pulling a muscle when working earlier in the year, but O’Brien indicated the Irish Classic may now be on the agenda.
The Ballydoyle handler also confirmed that his Vodafone Oaks runner-up Yesterday will tackle the Irish equivalent at the Curragh on July 13.
Yesterday was an unlucky loser at Epsom, where jockey Michael Kinane could not find a gap at a crucial stage before the filly ran on to be beaten only a neck by Casual Look.
Stable companion L’Ancresse, who was virtually pulled up in the straight, is reported to be “still a bit stiff and tender” after a knock on her near-hind during the race.
Johnny Murtagh took the riding honours on the undercard, completing a treble which saw him leap-frog over reigning champion Michael Kinane to the top of the Jockey Championship table.
Murtagh kicked off in style when Amandian built on her promising debut at Gowran Park, running out a smooth winner of the K & M Timber Maiden in the colours of Ballylinch Stud.
Amandian is trained by Murtagh’s boss John Oxx who also supplied the third leg of the treble Icklingham which won the Joe Morrissey Maiden in convincing style, clearly helped by blinkers which he was wearing for the first time.
Murtagh’s other success was recorded on Woodstamp, a first winner at the Curragh for trainer David Broad, in the Nolan Precast Stone Wall Handicap.
Curragh trainer James Burns nominated the listed Silver Flash Stake at Leopardstown as the target for Southern Bound after her successful debut in the Tattersall Ireland Maiden.
