Johnson gives Dundalk a big thumbs up
On his first visit to the track, Johnston declared: “It’s my first time here and I’ll definitely be back. It’s a lovely track, with good viewing and, with the prizemoney so bad at home, you’ll definitely see lots of my horses here in the future.”
The Middleham trainer was speaking after Below Zero bounced out of the stalls and dominated his rivals throughout, en route to a facile four lengths win over the Ger Lyons-trained favourite The Reaper, with another British raider, Bajan Tryst, in third.
Johnston added: “This fellow has been disappointing, a bit in and out. He needs things to go his own way and that’s what happened today. He pinged out, from a good draw and when left alone in front he’s hard to peg back.”
Below Zero was the second leg of a double for jockey Fran Berry, who reported: “He was well-in at the weights, with the race conditions in his favour and his stamina came into play,” after the Paul Deegan-trained Moonreach prevailed over Jembatt and McMonagle in a finish of half-lengths to the opening, five-furlong LMFM Race.
Sharing the riding honours with Berry was Johnny Murtagh, who scored on the Ger Lyons-trained juveniles Disagree and Jemima’s Pearl.
After seeing Jemima’s Pearl readily dispose of favourite Mahaazen in the seven-furlong fillies maiden, Dundalk specialist Lyons explained: “I have a smart bunch of two-year-old fillies and this one is right up with them, ready for a stakes campaign.
“It’s best to put a line through her last run in Galway — she was badly drawn and didn’t handle the track. I decided to give Johnny a hand by putting blinkers on her, to help her to her job and it worked.”
Lyons added: “She’s American-bred, bred for the polytrack. She needs fast ground and this is the only place that your guaranteed a suitable surface for her.”
First-time blinkers also worked for Disagree, which was in front from halfway before beating Bogino by two and a half lengths in the six-furlong auction maiden, prompting Lyons to point out: “He wants seven furlongs. Six is on the sharp side for him. That’s why we tried the blinkers.
“He was carrying a lot of weight so we gelded him and it has made a big difference. Winning the €10,000 bonus is very important for owners.”
Under a strong drive from Joseph O’Brien, Jackaroo came through strongly inside the final furlong to foil top-weight Northgate in the featured August Handicap over an extended mile and a quarter.
Aidan O’Briien’s charge got home by a head, prompting the winning rider to comment: “They didn’t go very quick and I was able to have him in a good position. He stays and did it well today.”
