Hot-pot Estephe rallies for narrow win
But punters who backed the Tommy Stack-trained filly down to 4/9 favouritism had to seat it out before Murtagh forced the filly’s head in front close home to beat the flattering Livaleo by a head.
Murtagh eased the favourite into the lead before the home-turn and, with two furlongs to race, Estephe looked an assured winner. But Pat Smullen brought the Joanna Morgan-trained Livaleo from well off the pace and swept past the favourite as they approached the furlong-pole. Favourite backers looked sure to lose their cash, until Murtagh rallied the favourite to get up again close home. Estephe is a daughter of Sadler’s Wells out of Tommy Stack’s 1998 Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Tarascon.
Wining trainer Stack explained: “Johnny liked her and said she’s a nice filly, although still a bit green. She hated the ground, but we got away with it. We bred her ourselves and, with a bit of luck, she’ll be a listed filly.”
Odds-on punters had their fingers burned earlier when Lastkingofscotland went down tamely to Panic in the seven-furlong E.R.A. Oates Auctioneers Race.
Having his first run since April, the 4/6 shot was outpaced by the Eddie Lynam-trained winner, confidently ridden by Declan McDonogh before stretching clear inside the final furlong to score by three and a half lengths.
Panic, a son of Polish Precedent and a three-parts brother to Rakti, was following-up his maiden win at Cork on Sunday but is unlikely to run again in this country, as trainer Lynam explained: “He was sold yesterday to Johnnie Roe to go to Hong Kong and, when the deal was done, I told him that, with only four runners, he’d have to run again.”
Fran Berry, rider of Lastkingofscotland, enjoyed better luck when making all on the Tom Hogan-trained Spinning Wings in the featured Irish Stallion Farms Fillies Handicap.
Berry dictated the pace on the Spinning World filly and had her three rivals in trouble early in the straight. But, clearly tiring inside the final furlong, she had only a neck to spare over determined favourite Genesi at the post.
“She’s a good tough filly and kept going well,” said the winning trainer. “She probably needs further and will step-up in trip next time.”
The opening Boyle Handicap provided Ballinrobe-based Michael Flannery with a welcome success when Water Side, ridden by Colm O’Donoghue proved a shock winner.
The ten-year-old was recording only the second win of his career, and his first since scoring at Tralee in 2005, prompting a delighted Flannery to explain: “He’s been a hard horse to train. The syndicate that owned him gave up on him. I felt that he might have his day again and persevered and it has worked out. Colm gave him a great ride.”
Ruby Walsh was seen to good effect on the Leslie Young-trained Surprise Vendor which landed the first juvenile hurdle of the season in Ireland, the Railway Bar 3-Y-0 Maiden Hurdle, a race which started in ragged fashion, with eventual runner-up Ravati being badly hampered and losing a substantial amount of ground.
Walsh nursed his mount throughout and, although wandering slightly when in front between the last two flights, had to be driven out to make certain of victory.
Trainer Young commented: “He jumps very well, although Ruby said he’s still a bit green. He beat Tom Hogan’s earlier winner Spinning Wings in a maiden at Clonmel and is still improving. We’ll look for a winner’s race for him now.”
Jimmy Mangan was on the mark when former ‘pointer’ Forjoetheplumber, ridden by Seanie McDermott, recorded a shock win in the first division of the J F Hanley Group Maiden Hurdle, at the expense of well-backed Richard The First and favourite Do The
Bookies.
The 16/1 shot jumped into the lead at the second last flight before staying on to score by seven lengths. On this evidence, Forjoetheplumber will appreciate a step-up in trip.
Mangan was expected to complete a double in the second division of this two-mile maiden. But Midnight Lady, backed from 9/4 to 6/4 and ridden by Mangan’s son Patrick, had to settle for third spot behind the Davy Russell-ridden newcomer Connectivity and A New Rising.
Connectivity, a five-year-old Flemensfirth gelding trained by Eric McNamara for Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud, travelled well throughout, edged into the lead at the second last flight but had to be hard-ridden by Russell to make sure of victory. McNamara described the well-backed, 5/2 second favourite as a “horse with a future”.
