Carraiglawn set for Irish Derby
Delayed in transit, Manning missed an earlier ride on Refuse To Sell. But Carraiglawn, a half-brother to Irish Derby winner Soldier Of Fortune and a previous winner of this event, Heliostatic, successfully stepped-up on his recent Navan maiden success to foil older fillies Choose Me and Harriers Call in the feature event.
Winning trainer Jim Bolger was not present, but explained by phone: “He’s a progressive colt and will take his chance in the Irish Derby now.”
Manning commented, “He won his maiden very easily in Navan and is progressing well. Jim always thought a lot of him. He has plenty of good entries. And you won’t see the best of him until he tackles a mile and a half. He’ll be a different horse over a longer trip.”
Earlier, Kevin Prendergast saddled his third two-year-old winner in a week when Seeharn, a substantial morning gamble and backed from 5/2 to 15/8 on course, made a successful debut, in the colours of Norman Ormiston, in the opening Irish Stallion Farms 2-Y-0 FilliesMaiden.
Ridden by stable-jockey Declan McDonogh, the Pivotal filly came through strongly in the final furlong to beat Ballydoyle second string Wild Wind by a length, prompting her trainer to explain: “She has been showing plenty at home, but she was probably the most green of the three two-year-olds that have won in the last week. I think she’s smart and, although Norman would probably like to go to Ascot, she’ll probably run in the listed fillies race here over Derby weekend.”
Dropping from listed company, having run in the race won by Chinese White at Gowran Park last month, Bea Remebered belatedly opened account in the finale, the one-mile Evening Herald – Friday’s Leinster Rugby Supplement Maiden.
Ridden by Willie Supple, the daughter of Doyen made all and stretched clear inside the final furlong to slam Green Art by five lengths, , providing a welcome change of luck for veteran Curragh trainer Frank Ennis.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Bright Horizon, which landed a gamble in a Curragh maiden on Guineas weekend and was a late defector from today’s Investec Derby at Epsom, justified favouritism in the Evening Herald – The Dubliner On Thursday Handicap.
The Galileo colt, clearly appreciating the step-up to a mile and a half, gave County Cork-born apprentice John Reid (20) his second racecourse success, having triumphed on Utrillo in a two-year-old maiden at Tipperary last October.
The Eddie Lynam-trained Arcadian Dream, in a lather of sweat in the parade-ring, landed a tidy gamble (6/1 to 7/2) in the six-furlong maiden, emerging from behind a wall of horses to get o top inside the final furlong and beat Nidian by a length and a quarter.
Tom McCourt continued his good run when 14/1 shot Dawn Eclipse, another winner for apprentice Ben Curtis, beat 28 rivals in the six-furlong Evening Herald – Tuesday’s GAA Supplement Handicap, getting home by a half-length from Fiddle Player in a blanket-finish.
Ben Curtis looked certain to complete a double on the Andrew McNamara-trained Drombeg Dawn in the Irish Stallion Farms Fillies Handicap, only to be caught close home by the Keagan Latham-ridden Simla Sunset.
The winner, formerly with David Myerscough and then Jeremy Gask in England, is now with Patrick Prendergast and will now run in a similar fillies handicap, back at the Curragh, over Irish Derby weekend.
Meanwhile, at Tramore, in-form trainer Eoin Doyle and jockey Shay Barry registered a popular double with favourites Dusty Trail and King Hill.
Easy winner of a recent flat handicap at Clonmel and having his first run over hurdles since last year, Dusty Trail (11/8) got the better of market rival Mr Dazza by a length in the opening August Festival Maiden Hurdle.
Shay Barry gave King Hill a confident ride to complete the double in the August Racing Festival Beginners Chase, justifying 11/4 favouritism comfortably at the expense of Carutomark.
Barry made a daring move on the inside of leader Glantara approaching the second last fence and, soon in command, the six-year-old stretched clear to triumph by seven lengths.
Davy Russell partnered the Sabrina Harty-trained course winner Rock County to defy top-weight in the Cullencastle Handicap Hurdle.
Russell looked set to complete a double on the Liam Cusack-trained Sense Of Awareness in the Tote Trifecta Rollover Handicap Chase only to be collared at the final fence by the Ger O’Keeffe-trained, Pat Mangan-ridden Who’s Deal.
Seamus Fahey extended his good strike-rate on the track when Anness D’Or, less free than at Clonmel last week, eased to a smooth nine lengths victory under Tom Treacy in the Dunhill Handicap Hurdle.
And four-year-old filly More Claret, owned and trained by Kevin O’Donnell and enterprisingly ridden by Tom Doyle, proved a shock 25/1 winner of the firstofthesummerwine.com Maiden Hurdle.
In the wake of this event claimer Conor O’Farrell was suspended for two days, for careless riding, following an incident on the bend past the stands.
