Casamento promises of better to come
Gary Carroll allowed him stride on after a furlong and only had to push out the son of Shamardal to beat Cannon Hill with lots to spare.
“He’s a very nice horse, is big and babyish”, said Halford. “We have always liked him and has always shown us plenty.
“He’s in the National Stakes (Curragh), so we will see. He is one of two horses I have for Sheikh Mohammed and would expect him to come on for that.”
Carroll replaced Shane Foley on Casamento, Foley having broken his left collarbone and right ankle at Bellewstown on Wednesday night.
Della’alba, making a belated seasonal debut, could hardly have been more impressive in the www.tipperaryraces.ie Maiden, initiating a double for Halford and Carroll.
Very easy to back, she cruised ahead just over a furlong down to score unextended by four and a half lengths.
Halford reported: “She suffered a fractured cannon bone towards the back-end of last season and there were complications. I wasn’t sure how fit she was, but she did that really well.”
Carroll was in luck again when coming in for the ride aboard Beauthea in the Tipperary Town Handicap.
Johnny Murtagh was to partner the daughter of Barathea, but complained of feeling unwell. He was found to be dehydrated and stood down for 48 hours.
Beauthea kicked on under three furlongs from home and held on for dear life to dead-heat with King’s Bastion.
The judge’s decision, however, was controversial, with many of the opinion the fast-finishing King’s Bastion had prevailed.
The judge, Jennifer Walsh, was in an impossible position, though. Said Walsh: “On some courses we have a reverse angle camera, but here we don’t even have a mirror image.”
In other words Walsh could only be as good as the equipment with which she was forced to work.
The featured Listed Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Fairy Bridge Stakes went to the Joanna Morgan-trained Fourpenny Lane.
She was produced with impeccable timing by Rory Cleary to forge ahead over a furlong out to easily beat Blaze Brightly.
“She is in foal to Verglas and is finished with racing now”, said a delighted Morgan.
Skyway, trained by Richard Brabazon on the Curragh, was backed from 7-2 to 5-2 in the Ballykisteen Rated Race and landed the wagers under a powerful Keagan Latham drive.
She was soon in front and answered every call from Latham as defeat stared her in the face all the way up the straight, a little over a length covering the first five home.
Commented Brabazon: “She is as tough as nails. I might give her a break or step her up to Listed company. If not good enough for Listed races, she should be next season.”
Jim Bolger’s Priomhbhean buckled down in terrific style to justify favouritism in the Costello Tavern Handicap.
She was under strong Kevin Manning driving a fair out, but kept responding and got there close home to touch off Putapriceonthat by a neck.
Said Bolger: “She’s gutsy and will stay handicapping for the moment. I think we will step her up in trip.”
Johnny Murtagh missed his second winner of the night when replaced by Joseph O’Brien on Flying Cross in the Super Sunday On October 3rd Race.
Bred to win a Derby, the son of Sadler’s Wells has obviously had his problems and this was his first start of the campaign.
He stripped fit and well, however, and was always getting the best of the battle with Vitruvian Man through the last furlong.
