Symphony makes winning debut for Wachman
The featured Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Give Thanks Stakes went to David Wachman’s Pink Symphony, having a first outing for the trainer. The daughter of Montjeu is owned by Mrs Fitri Hay, who is involved in horses such as Fame And Glory and Cape Blanco.
Jamie Spencer is retained by her and was due to make the journey across for the ride. But Spencer was involved in that pile-up at Goodwood on Saturday, which may rule Ryan Moore out for the rest of the season, and didn’t travel.
Joseph O’Brien took over and gave the four-year-old a fine drive to sweep down the outside in the straight and beat Haziyma by a length and a quarter.
“Joseph gave her a great ride and, I think, that’s the first time he’s ridden a winner for me”, said Wachman. “She had good form when trained by Paul Cole and just maintained it here. This is a straightforward filly and will be stepped up both in trip and grade now.”
Those closest to John Oxx’s Alanza appeared to think that the mile of the Listed Platinum Stakes might stretch her stamina and she was a drifter from 7-4 to 5-2.
As it turned out the daughter of Dubai Destination needed every yard of the trip, under a strong Niall McCullagh drive, getting up in the last hundred yards to cut down the flattering Wild Wind.
“We ran her over six furlong and it settled her down”, said Oxx. “We thought seven furlongs might be more her trip.
“We were going to run her in the Fairy Bridge Stakes at Tipperary, but seven and a half furlongs round there might be too short!”
Austin Leahy’s Big Bad Lily was backed from 6-1 to 9-2 favourite and landed the wagers in the five furlongs Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Handicap.
She enjoyed no luck in running at Down Royal previously and fluffed her lines at the start here as well.
But Ben Curtis remained unflustered and produced the daughter of Big Bad Bob with a powerful late surge to score going away.
“She could run again over five furlongs at Tipperary on Friday night”, reported Leahy.
Noble Four, a maiden going into the contest, finished with a flourish to take the corkracecourse.ie Handicap.
Top weight Foot Perfect looked sure to score entering the final furlong, but Wayne Lordan conjured a terrific burst from the winner to nail the leader on the line.
“He’s a persuasive little man”, said trainer, Willie McCreery, of Lordan. “That was a super ride from Wayne, he’s a horse who has to be covered up as long as you can.”
Aidan O’Brien’s Among Equals, having a third outing, made no mistake in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Maiden.
Well drawn, the son of Oasis Dream was soon racing near the front. Partnered by Joseph O’Brien, who put up 3lbs overweight and was initiating a double, the winner stretched out really well through the final furlong to beat David Wachman’s promising newcomer Limetree Lady.
Shane Foley is a fine talent and was again seen to advantage when taking the Tote Trifecta Rollover Handicap on Newmarket Story.
Successful previously at Ballinrobe, the nine-year-old found loads for Foley pressure to beat Galakina in a driving finish.
Aidan O’Brien’s well-backed Eagle Canyon again failed to deliver in the jogforjockeys.ie Maiden.
He made most of the running and looked a winner for most of the straight. But Eagle Canyon found little when the pressure came on and could not hold the late rush of Obviously and Ronan Whelan.
