James lands first career double
James, who has formed a successful partnership with trainer John Murphy in recent weeks, struck again for the Upton, County Cork-based handler when The Buck, raised 12lb. for an improved run at Killarney, battled bravely to land the Rocklands Service Station Handicap at the expense of favourite King Of Redfield.
Trainer Murphy, recording his twelfth flat win of the season, was not present. But his son George said: “He hasn’t won for three years, but is a real stayer. Sam gave him a great ride.”
James, who is apprenticed to Kevin Prendergast , followed-up on board the Tom Mullins-trained Cristal Island, which got the better of Star Links and Silly Dancer in the Rosslare Handicap.
The winning trainer said: “She lost her way last year and the handicapper gave her a chance. It’s great that she’s won again and, hopefully, she’s returning to her best.”
Mullins’ brother Willie was on the mark when Phantasy Rock, confidently handled by apprentice Eddie Linehan, followed-up a recent win in Killarney by landing the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Handicap at the expense of Green To Gold. Mullins said: “Eddie is making good use of limited opportunities and rides well. This filly went up 6lb. for her win in Killarney and won well again. She’s in again in Galway on Monday and Clonmel next Thursday and we’ll try to strike again with her.”
The champion jumps trainer was denied a double when Apt Manor, ridden by his son Patrick, failed narrowly to peg back the Jason MeKeown ridden front-runner Tear Drops in the mares bumper.
Tears Drops, a course and distance winner three weeks ago, was providing the County Armagh trainer with his second racecourse success and will now go hurdling.
The Jim Bolger trained Myrine, in the colours of Michael Ryan, made famous by the likes of Al Eile and Finsceal Beo, romped to an impressive win in the opening five-runner Gorey Race.
The four-year-old Sadler’s Wells filly, a half-sister to Sagamix and Sagacity and winner of her maiden by a distance at Ballinrobe before flopping on her handicap debut in Killarney, took command early in the straight before forging clear to beat Easy Mate by ten lengths.
Winning rider Kevin Manning admitted: “It probably wasn’t a great race, but she did it well.”
Luxurious, one of three fillies representing Wexford-born Aidan O’Brien, landed the Irish Stallion Farms 2-Y-0 Maiden, the first two-year-old maiden to be run on the track.
Ridden by the trainer’s son Joseph, recording his first success on the track, the daughter of Galileo justified favouritism at the expense of stable-companion Poinsettia, prompting O’Brien’s representative Pat Keating to comment: “She’s an improving filly and I’m sure the boss will step her up in class after this.”
In the absence of stable jockey of Johnny Murtagh, dehydrated and stood down for 48 house at Tipperary on Thursday night, apprentice Sean Levey successfully deputised on Quest For Gold, which completed a double for Ballydoyle in the ITBA Supporting Wexford Maiden.
The blinkered Sadler’s Wells colt made all and, under a persuasive ride by Levey, kept strongly supported favourite Alburj at bay by three-quarters of a length.
