Game Banimpire strikes a blow for fillies in Ballysax
Winning trained Jim Bolger, completing a double following the victory of Parish Hall - Teofilo’s first runner - in the two-year-old race will hope that the daughter of Holy Roman Emperor will progress to emulate the last two fillies to land this prestigious trial, subsequent Group 1 winners Jet Ski Lady (1991) and Key Change (1996).
Ridden by stable jockey Kevin Manning, Banimpire battled tenaciously to outpoint regent Street by a half-length, with 8/13 favourite Recital, a Group1 winner last November and considered among Aidan O’Brien’s leading Derby candidates, a length away third.
Bolger declared: “It wasn’t a surprise. She ran a good race at the Curragh last time and appreciated the better ground today. The step-up in trip was always going to help her — staying is her game. I’m not sure where she’ll go now but the English Guineas is a definite option.”
Recitals’s display was disappointing. Free in the early stages, he was settled in rear by Ryan Moore before making eye-catching headway early in the straight.
But, just when he looked likely to tackle and, perhaps, get the better of his two rivals, his effort petered out and he had to settle for third spot, beaten a length and a half.
Earlier, Parish Hall, the first runner for his sire Teofilo, unbeaten champion two-year-old of Europe in 2006, initiated the Bolger/Manning double when landing the Irish Stallion Farms 2-Y-0 Maiden at the expense of another Ballydoyle odds-on favourite, Raphael Santi.
“He’s a great mover and a very nice prospect,” enthused Bolger. “He’s Teofilo’s first runner and winner. He’ll step up to seven furlongs next time.”
Now six years of age and kept in training in search of an elusive Group 1 win, Famous Name made a triumphant return to action on his favourite course, brushing aside three rivals to justify 2/13 favouritism and complete back-to-back wins in the listed Heritage Stakes.
Khalid Abdullah’s horse was recording his seventh win at Leopardstown and his admiring trainer explained, “He’s been a model of consistency throughout his career and this is his sixth stakes win here at Leopardstown.
“He’s always been a joy to train and the aim is to win a Group 1 with him. I’m not sure about immediate plans — I’ll have to talk to Lord Grimthorpe (Khalid Abdullah’s Racing Manager). But he should improve from this run, because Pat (Smullen) said he had a ‘blow’ at the furlong-pole.”
The most impressive winner of the day was undoubtedly the Aidan O’Brien-trained Quest For Peace, which bolted home a four-lengths winner of the Irish Stallion Farms Maiden over a mile and quarter, the only winner on the day for Ballydoyle and Ryan Moore.
Always close to the pace, the strapping Galileo colt asserted with a furling and a half to race and powered clear for an emphatic win over Emotional Dream, prompting O’Brien to comment: “He’s a nice colt and came on nicely for his run at the Curragh. He enjoyed the better ground and will probable run in one of the Derby trials.”
In the handicap action, apprentice Danny Benson had his claim reduced from 10lb. to 7lb. when partnering One Up One Down, trained by his boss Ger Lyons, to a 20/1 win in the Family Days Handicap.
