Cruise for Beautiful and Lordan
On track, the lads on the boxes wanted to get the daughter of Kingmambo as well, although this time at 5-4.
In any case, she hardened to evens and cruised to victory. Wayne Lordan eased her past stable companion Dress Rehearsal well over three furlongs out and she quickened away to score by a length and three parts.
Commented trainer David Wachman: “The winner will now look for black type, while the second will try for her maiden.”
Paul Carberry was quite superb on Ring Street Roller in the Carbon Group EBF Mares ‘Chase. He sat off the strong pace and only began to nudge his charge closer from the fourth last. The mare picked up in fine style in the straight, surging away from All Heart from the last.
“She jumped great and loved the ground”, reported Carberry.
Carberry completed a double with an armchair ride on Gordon Elliott’s Salford City in the Fleetwood and Coolgown Beginners Chase.
A gamble on Middlemarch, who never looked like taking a hand, saw Salford City drift to a remarkable 6-4. He strolled through the contest, stormed ahead off the home turn and hardly turned a hair to score with any amount in hand.
“They went plenty quick and his jumping was good enough”, reported Carberry. “He jumped the last two very well and is a horse who could go on over fences.”
Des McDonogh’s La Sylvia, who has threatened to do the business more than once and made the long journey from Co Meath, finally delivered in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Maiden.
Quickly into her stride for Fran Berry, she made all the running to beat the running-on Epic Odyssey a snug three parts of a length.
“It was a long trip, but worth it”, remarked McDonogh. “She will go for a winners of one at Down Royal now.”
Ben Curtis gave John Kiely’s Bentesina a smashing drive to land the Tallow Handicap, sweeping through inside the furlong pole to beat Six Of Hearts. “That trip was probably on the short side, but she improved a good bit last season and, hopefully, will give us some fun”, said Kiely.
Robbie McNamara was again seen to advantage when guiding Dermot Weld’s Teach Nua to victory in the Stardan and Coolgown Bumper. There was one scary moment, however, when the winner appeared to lose his footing approaching the turn in. Reported McNamara: “He stumbled and I thought he’d broken his leg, but then he came back sound.”
This was vintage McNamara, saving every inch down the inside, before setting alight Teach Nua two furlongs out to beat The Last Derby.
Peak District was best for money in the Ballyclough Handicap and it was hard to believe he finished out of the first three. The four-year-old was in front a furlong down, full of running. But the cavalry were soon in full flow, with Grigorovitch flashing through late to beat fellow 20-1 shot Fly By Magic and Flash McGahon.
