Lawlor ‘critically ill’ after crashing fall at Down Royal
The 19-year-old claimer from Ballitore, Co Kildare suffered a heavy tumble when Hammer It Home crashed out at the third-last in the Data Select Handicap Hurdle. He was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.
Dr Adrian McGoldrick, chief medical officer for the Irish Turf Club, said last night: “He’s critically ill and is incubated and ventilated at present. He is having a brain scan and we are waiting for the report to see if he needs surgery.”
Back on the track, just five days after making a promising debut at the Curragh on Sunday, the Tracey Collins-trained Anadolu proved herself a speedy juvenile when winning the www.tomtomworkireland.com Maiden .
Having shown plenty of speed in the Curragh maiden won by Moonlit Garden before fading in the final furlong, the Statue Of Liberty outpaced her rival from the stalls in the five-furlong dash and, briefly threatened by outsider Bisou Baby, stretched clear under Pay Shanahan to win by three lengths.
The David Wachman-trained Rockymountainhigh, a failed gamble in a Naas handicap last time, made Johnny Murtagh’s trip north worthwhile when swooping late to land the seven-furlong Barclay Communications Web Design Maiden at the expense of Slade, denying trainer Andy Heffernan (successful earlier with Hasaratan) a double.
As he had done at Naas, the Danehill Dancer colt missed the break before being settled in mid-division by Murtagh, who weaved his way through the pack to deliver his challenge at the furlong-pole.
Rated 82, Rockymountainhigh, which carries the familiar colours of Michael Tabor, scored by a half-length, is open to further improvement and is likely to go handicapping.
Front-running tactics often prove successful on Down Royal’s five-furlong sprint track. And Declan McDonogh used them to good effect on the Ken Condon-trained Atlantic Cycle in the Barclay Communications IT Services race.
The 5/4 favourite broke smartly, dictated the pace and, under
McDonogh’s strong driving, held on grimly to beat the fast-finishing Big Typhoon by just a short-head.
The John Coleman-trained Sean Og Coulston, a slow-starter when gambled-on at Dundalk last time, made no mistake when bolting up in the seven-furlong Blackberry From Barclay Communications Handicap.
Confidently handled by former champion Pat Smullen, the six-year-old slammed top-weight Solent Ridge by three lengths.
In the hurdle action, Saponara continued trainer Dessie Hughes’ rich vein of form, following-up her recent
Kilbeggan win by justifying favouritism in the Barclay Telecom Landline Services Hurdle
Ridden by 7lb. claimer Paddy Kennedy and clearly appreciating the quick conditions, the four-year-old daughter of Key Of Luck confirmed her Kilbeggan superiority over Time Machine, which she mastered on the run-in to score by a length and three-quarters.
The Aga Khan-bred Hasaratan, which had shown promise on his hurdling debut at Cork, provided trainer Andy Heffernan with a welcome success when winning the opening 02 Centre Of Excellence Maiden Hurdle.
In front from the fourth last, the Barathea gelding was not extended in beating Breeze With Esae by three lengths.
