Media Puzzle still a winner
The nine-year-old, carrying the colours of DrMichael Smurfit, outpointed Good Surprise and Mkuzi to initiate a double for trainer-in-form Dermot Weld, who later saddled Reform Act to win the Cova Properties Handicap.
Fresh from his memorable family success with Nightime in the Boylesports Irish 1,000 Guineas on Sunday, Weld was obviously delighted by Media Puzzle’s win, “Horses like this are some of the reason I train racehorses. Plenty of people told me he should be retired. But we have persevered. And to see him win again is a great thrill.”
Weld then explained that Media Puzzle will now be aimed at the Ascot Gold Cup next month and added, “If all stays well with him, he could be going back to Australia in November.”
Half an hour later, Weld expressed the hope that Reform Act, a lover of fast ground, would develop into a “stakes filly” after she completed the double under stable-jockey Pat Smullen.
Trainer David Wachman nominated Royal Ascot’s Chesham Stakes as a likely target for He’s A Decoy after the In The Wings made a winning debut in the seven-furlong Two-year-old maiden, getting home by the minimum margin in a blanket-finish.
Wachman, who virtually closed down his yard over the last six weeks due to what he described as “poor performance syndrome” rather than a virus, believes this colt’s win is an encouraging sign for the months ahead.
Wayne Lordan, who rode He’s A Decoy, completed a double in the finale when the Tommy Stack runner stepped-up on his debut second at Limerick to land the Irishtown 3-Y-0 Maiden, in which Aidan O’Brien’s odds-on favourite Benjamin Franklin finished a disappointing third.
Ger Lyons, who now has Johnny Murtagh on a “second retainer” agreement, saddled Howya Now Kid to win the opening juvenile event, putting his experience to good use to provide Stephen Harris of Glenview House Stud his first winner.
Zacharova, successful at the Curragh on Sunday, readily defied his penalty under Davy Moran in the Castlewood Handicap and might bid for a quick treble at Naas on Monday while trainer Tom McCourt recorded a notable one-two in the Kilmacud Handicap as Rookwith, ridden by Colm O’Donoghue, held off the late surge of stable-companion Dalwich.
