Famous Name off to Munich in search of Group 1 success
The Khalid Abdullah owned, Dermot Weld trained six-year-old came wide turning for home, edged past front-running Jan Vermeer and stayed on in typically determined style to slam Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby fifth by four and a half lengths, repeating last year’s win in the race and recording his ninth win on the Dublin track.
Winning trainer Weld was not present. But his son Kris commented: “What can you say about him that hasn’t been said before. He’s just a wonderful horse and a great servant. He did it well again and loves Leopardstown.
“The ground has turned soft, as soft as he’d like, although he enjoys some cut. He’ll head to Munich on Sunday week (July 31) for the Bayerisches Zuchtrenne, a Group 1 over a mile and a quarter that we won with Market Booster back in 1993.”
A beaten favourite on her two previous starts, Remember Alexander emulated her sire Teofilo when landing the earlier Group 3 Korean Racing Authority Tyros Stakes, sparking a juvenile double for trainer Jessica Harrington.
Ridden by Johnny Murtagh, Remember Alexander came wide off the home turn to mount her challenge to Parish Hall, on which Kevin Manning set sail for home along the rail, quickly getting the better of disappointing odds-on favourite Tenth Star.
Murtagh’s mount was in front early in the final furlong and, despite hanging slightly left, stayed on to triumph by four lengths from Parish Hall, with the favourite another two lengths adrift in third.
A delighted and relieved Harrington commented; “Everything went right for her today. She’s not straight-forward, but Johnny said she was relaxed, travelled nicely and kept going well. She loved that ground.
“She’s in the Moyglare and that’s where we might be going, all being well.”
Dragon Pulse, runner-up on his debut at the Curragh, justified 7/4 favouritism in the opening Glenvale Stud 2-Y-0 Maiden to initiate the double for Harrington, the Kyllachy colt getting the better of Ellel Duke by a length as the pair, racing up the centre of the course, drew three lengths clear of the remainder.
The winning trainer declared: “It’s great to get that done. Fran said he did it well and kept quickening in the straight, although the other horse was leaning into him and intimidating him a little.
“He should get seven furlongs but we have no definite plan for him.”
Seamus Heffernan partnered the Aidan O’Brien-trained Long Live The King to a convincing two lengths victory over King Of Aran in the Dublin Horse Show Handicap.
On his return, Heffernan explained: “I didn’t think he’d handle the ground, but racing is a funny game. He’s a tough, honest stayer and the blinkers definitely help him.”
