Dancer waltzes in to spearhead 55/1 Bolger treble
Carrying the colours of nearby Ballylinch Stud, Majestic Dancer, a half-sister to the likes of Modeeroch and Danakiya, earned a valuable winning bracket when making all to land the Irish Stallion Farms 3-Y-0 Maiden by four and a half lengths from market rival Celerina.
Stable-jockey Kevin Manning, initiating a personal double, popped the Danehill Dancer filly from the stalls quickly and, stretching clear from the two furlong pole, won well, prompting her trainer to explain: “The plan was to make use of her high draw tonight, but she can do it either way. We’ll see what the handicapper thinks before making plans for her.”
Buaiteoir provided Bolger with the second leg of his treble when justifying 3/1 favouritism, under Kevin Manning, in the Gowran Park Golf Club Handicap, beating Camira by a length and a quarter.
The Bachelor Duke gelding responded to Manning’s urgings and will “keep at that for a while” according to his trainer, before heading for the July Sales in Newmarket.
Also likely to be sold in July is Book Of Numbers, which made it three wins from his last four runs in the Watree Handicap.
The 5/2 favourite, raised 11lb. for his recent win at Wexford, but well-in for this race (despite racing from 3lb. out of the handicap), came through strongly under Davy Moran and, clear at the furlong-pole, had to be kept up to his work to hold the gallant bid of top-weight Monteriggioni (conceding 24lb.) by a neck.
“He’s going the right way and probably had a few pounds in hand out there,” said Bolger, who suggested that the progressive, American-bred three-year-old might now contest a handicap at the Curragh on Guineas weekend.
On a day when Cape Blanco staked a claim as a serious Investec Derby candidate by winning the Dante at York, Aidan O’Brien won last night’s finale, the Rooftop Restaurant At Gowran Park Race with 11/8 favourite Rain Forest.
Sent to the front early in the straight by Seamus Heffernan, the three-parts brother to Fame And Glory stayed on stoutly to beat dead-heaters Bobbyscot and Maverick Man convincingly by three lengths.
Heffernan commented, “He improved for the step-up in trip and will, hopefully, keep progressing. He has a good attitude and tried hard for me all the way up the straight.”
Dermot Weld recorded his first two-year-old success of the season when Triple Eight stepped up significantly on his debut run at the Curragh to make all in the Irish Stallion Farms 2-Y-0 Maiden. Enterprisingly ridden by Pat Smullen, the Royal Applause colt kept going strongly to beat The Reaper by two and a half lengths.
