Adajal completes quick hat-trick for Swan
The Charlie Swan-trained seven-year-old, confidently handled by David Casey, swept past front-running Gerannjo at the second last fence before storming clear to slam Echo Bob by five and a half lengths.
Adajal, a narrow winner at Ballinrobe two weeks ago before scoring at Killarney last week, was completing his hat-trick off a 14lb. higher mark and was sent off a well-backed 13/8 favourite.
Swan was not present. But Frank Berry, the owner’s Racing Manager, commented: “He bounces off that quick ground and jumps great on it. Charlie has done a good job with him, winning three races in such a short time. We’ll be looking for another similar handicap for him.”
Fisher Bridge, better known as a hurdler and chaser, made all to win the first division of the Connolly’s Red Mills Handicap for Noel Meade, who was full of praise for winning rider, apprentice Tim Carroll.
Having set the pace, the blinkered seven-year-old had to dig deep in the closing stages to keep his rivals at bay, beating bottom weight Mr. Pianist by two and a half lengths.
Meade said: “That was a good performance. He stayed on very well and Tim gave him a good ride, doing exactly what I had told him. The mile and a half was probably a bit sharp for him around here and he’d be better over two miles.
“I’m not sure where he’ll be going. He’ll definitely run again on the flat. The Galway Plate would be an option, although I’m not sure if he’d be good enough for that and I’m planning to run Nicanor, for the same owners, in the Plate anyway.”
Conor O’Dwyer saddled Nodouraboura to land the bumper, the Kepak Flat Race, in good style in the hands of Katie Walsh, the Dermot Cox-owned five-year-old taking command from odds-on favourite Frisco Depot and Jan Jandura inside the final furlong before easing clear to score by three lengths.
“That’s a relief. We haven’t had a winner for a while and the horses have been a bit below par,” said the winning trainer. “Katie confirmed what I though, that he loved that ground. He’ll go back over hurdles and we’ll keep him on the move for the summer.”
Fran Berry recovered from a brief scare at the start of the ten-furlong Roscommon Maiden, losing an iron briefly, to land the spoils on the John Murphy-trained Top Spin.
Soon in front, the tough Cape Cross colt responded to Berry’s urgings in the final furlong and a half to hold the late challenge of the well-backed Speechmaker by a neck.
In the absence of the winning trainer, Berry commented: “He was a bit awkward from the stalls and gave me a fright. There was no pace on early, so I let him stride on and dictate it. He kept going well up the straight. It was my first time to ride him and I liked him. He felt like a tough, progressive type of colt.”
Wayne Lordan and David Wachman - denied with Speechmaker - enjoyed better luck in the following Come Racing In Roscommon Fillies Maiden when seasonal debutante Leo Gali wore down the Berry-ridden favourite O’ Bella Ballerina to record an ultimately emphatic two and a half lengths win.
Wachman said of the Galileo filly: “She’s a nice filly and had two good runs last year. She won well and should improve and we’ll step her up now, into a stakes race.”
Ben Curtis notched his fifth success of the season and provided Curragh trainer Ger O’Leary with his second when La Chassotte captured the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Handicap, holding the persistent late challenge of Sailors Warn by a half-length.
The race was marred by an incident in the first furlong which saw Noeleens Moon clip heels and unseat Robbie Walsh, who was removed to the local hospital with a suspected broken leg.
Racing from 4lb. out of the handicap, the Gerry Keane-trained Lynott proved a shock winner of the second division of the Connolly’s Red Mills Handicap, the 20/1 shot scoring under Davy Moran, at the expense of fellow longshot High Magic.
Keane explained, “He’s a horse with plenty of ability. But he’s had leg problems in the past, and an operation on his palate since his last run. I was anxious about running him on such fast ground, but it has worked out. Hopefully, he might win another. He’ll go back over hurdles at some stage too.”
