Rayeni’s future looks bright after cosy success
An impressive winner on his debut at Naas, the Indian Ridge colt came from well off the pace, edged past the front-running favourite at the furlong pole and forged clear to triumph cosily by a length and a half with Gluteus Maximus third.
“He’s a nice horse, very sensible and quiet at home and doesn’t show a lot on the gallops,” explained winning trainer Oxx. “He got the trip well and must have soft ground. He a smart little fellow on soft but that will limit opportunities for him next year.”
Oxx, who has enjoyed a tremendous season with his juvenile team, added: “The other horse (Vitruvian Man) was drawn one and we decided to try him in front. Unfortunately, he didn’t like it. But, when he goes a trip next season, you’ll see the best of him.”
The Curraghbeg team completed a two-year-old double when debutant Space Telescope, ridden by stable-jockey Michael Kinane, created a favourable impression in the seven-furlong maiden.
Having tracked the leaders, the Galileo colt hit the front with more than a furlong to race and was driven clear, despite idling, to triumph by a length and a half from another promising newcomer Toraidhe.
Oxx said: “He’s been working well. But I thought he’d be too sleepy and wouldn’t know his job today. He travelled well and I knew turning into the straight that, if he got out, he’d win.
“He only arrived in midsummer. But he has done well and is a nice prospect. He’ll stay well and should go one better ground. He could develop into something next year.”
Dermot Weld was also in double form, scoring with two-year-old debutante Casual in the opener and following-up when Famous Name justified favouritism in the listed Jockey Club Of Turkey Trigo Stakes, giving the trainer his first double for owner Khalid Abdulla.
“She’s been working well and did it nicely,” was Weld’s summing up of Casual’s smooth success in the Irish Stallion Farms 2-Y-0 Fillies Maiden, quickening well to beat Daly by a length and a half. “She’s from the same family as Cairn Rouge and has a gear. She should be a stakes fill next season.”
Cashmans make Casual a 40/1 chance for the 2009 Stan James 1,000 Guineas.
Famous Name, narrowly beaten in the French Derby and third in Group 2 company at Longchamp last time, duly complete the Weld double in the ‘Trigo’, quickening well to take command with more than a furlong to race before being driven out to score by two and a half length.
Weld admitted: “We got our tactics wrong in France the last day. He was too keen in front and was a target for the others. He was unlucky not to win the French Derby from a bad draw. Today’s race was an opportunity to get his confidence back. And he did his job like a proper horse.
“He’s relaxed and travels well. He’s not fully furnished and I think there’s a nice bit of improvement in him as a four-year-old. He’s definitely a horse to look forward to next year. We’ll campaign him at a mile and a quarter and, hopefully, he’ll win a ‘Group 1’. The Prix Ganay looks a logical race for him.”
This double brought Pat Smullen’s seasonal tally to 83, four ahead of Fran Berry (79), successful earlier on Rayeni, with Johnny Murtagh, who heads for Australia today, on 77.
