O’Brien again in hot water
The apprentice is already facing a hearing into two appeals and a referral at the Irish Turf Club this morning after picking up a two-day ban at Dundalk and four days at Listowel recently.
O’Brien, son of Ballydoyle trainer Aidan, was suspended for another three days for misusing his whip aboard Battleoftrafalgar in the Animalintex Maiden.
His father was also fined 200 euros for issuing riding instructions which contributed to a breach of the whip guidelines.
O’Brien is currently involved in a thrilling battle for the apprentice title and his two winners put him level on 33 for the season with Ben Curtis and Gary Carroll.
Battleoftrafalgar, a consistent but luckless 81-rated performer, finally got his head in front in the finale the mile-and-a-half maiden, staying under strong driving to beat Regresa A Mi by a half-length.
Earlier, O’Brien’s mount Waydownsouth had only a head to spare over Cul A Dun in the Stephen Quirke Memorial Apprentice Handicap, registering his third win in the colours of the 65-member W J South Racing Club, based in the famous hostelry in the centre of Limerick..
Waydownsouth is trained by Pat Flynn, who commented: “He’s a progressive horse and will make a nice hurdler next year. And it’s great for the lads that he has won three of his last four races..”
On A day when John Oxx and Fran Berry shared a double in the Curragh sunshine the Kevin Prendergast-trained Handassa proved the star performer on the final day of action at headquarters for 2010.
The well-touted Dubawi filly, owned by Hamdan Al Maktoum, proved popular in the morning and on track, being sent off a strong 13/8 favourite. And she gave her supporters few worries, tracking pace-setter Deire Na Sli (rated 76) until mounting her challenge and stretching clear inside the final furlong to triumph impressively by five and a half lengths.
Prendergast was not present, but winning rider Declan McDonogh was enthusiastic in his praise for the filly: “She’s a very nice filly and had been doing things well at home. She raced a bit lazily, which is probably a good sign, and was on and off the bridle. But, when I gave her a flick to tackle Kevin’s filly, she picked up well and ran to the line. She’s a grand filly, with a great temperament, one to look forward to during the winter.”
John Oxx’s string is hitting form in the closing weeks of the season. And the Curraghbeg handler completed a double with debutantes History Note and Riynaaz, both ridden by stable-jockey Fran Berry, who is now tied with Johnny Murtagh on the 77-winnr mark, six behind Pat Smullen in the title race.
A home-bred daughter of Aznavour, carrying the colours of the trainer’s wife, History Note got the better of well-backed favourite Rose Bonheur in the opening two-year-old fillies maiden.
And, in the absence of the successful trainer, his assistant Jim O’Neill commented: “She’s been going well at home. And the horses are hitting a bit of form, at the wrong end of the season. We thought she might need the run, but she’s a promising type and liked that ground. She wouldn’t want it too quick.”
The Oxx/Berry double was completed when Riynaz, a Cape Cross filly, made a successful debut in the TRI Equestrian 3-Y-0 Fillieds maiden, wearing down Tupelo Honey inside the final furlong to score by two lengths.
The colours of the Coolmore partnership dominated the seven-furlong nursery as 12/1 shot Port Elizabeth, trained by David Wachman, held the late surge of Harrison Cove (Aidan O’Brien) with the winner’s stable-companion and favourite Jambalaya a close third.
Winning rider Wayne Lordan (now on the 51 winner mark for the season) said: “The blinkers help her, although it took her a while to get her act together. She stuck to the job well and won with a little in hand.”
The two divisions of the Curragh Café At TRI Equestrian Handicap attracted a total of 57 runners and resulted in victories for tough and consistent fillies Ultra Cool and Boynagh Joy.
Trained by Ado McGuinness and carrying the colours of her breeder Sheila Lavery, Ultra Cool came with a storming late charge under an energetic Chris Hayes to grab the flattering Foot[print close home in the first division.
Showing no ill effects of a fall at theCurragh on Sunday, Seamus Heffernan galvanised Boynagh Joy to win the second division at the expense of Balladiene and longtime leader Mrs Batt.
