Wind blows rivals away
Powerfully handled by Colm O’Donoghue, she came with a terrific late challenge to win going away and beat Barack and Bay Knight.
Said O’Donoghue: “She did it well and quickened up great. I knew going to the start it was the best she was all year, she felt strong.”
Favourite, Stunning View, could only manage sixth place, after holding every chance early in the straight.
Stunning View needed rain, it didn’t come — at least not in time — to be seen at his best and rider, Pat Smullen, said: “He wants a good dig and never let himself down.”
Aidan O’Brien trains Wild Wind and his Secretary Of State, 5-2 to 6-4, was the one for money in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Nursery, but was run out of it late by Dermot Weld’s Crimson Sunrise.
The favourite and Money Spider were hard to split when Leigh Roche switched the winner outside the pair and the daughter of Holy Roman Emperor quickened in style and was in control close home.
Said Weld: “That was very good by Leigh, he rode her with confidence. Another nursery is the plan.”
Ken Condon continued his excellent form in the www.goracingkillarney.com Maiden, saddling the hitherto frustrating Charpoy to make all of the running. This was a master class by Johnny Murtagh — he lost his whip — who saved plenty for the last two furlongs to beat the somewhat unlucky Weld newcomer, Sunset Stanza.
Commented Condon: “He wasn’t winning out of turn. We were lucky the rain stayed away, he enjoys fast ground.”
Sunset Stanza was the gamble of the contest. He finished to real effect, after being slowly enough away and never being able to take up a decent position.
Condon completed a double with another that was overdue, Mojita, in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Fillies Maiden.
She went toe-to-toe with Livia’s Wake through the final furlong, just getting the best of the fight in the dying strides. “This is a well-bred filly and it was important for her to win’’, said Condon. “Shane (Foley) thought he went a fraction early, but she battled back.”
Johnny Murtagh, successful on Charpoy, was deprived of a double aboard Printmaker in the Robin Parke Memorial Handicap, after Fran Berry produced Words Of Wisdom with a late surge to score by half a length.
Winning trainer, Eddie Lynam, reported: “The jockey (Murtagh) on the second was quite helpful there, he rode my horse the last day and said he would improve for cheekpieces.”
Cairdiuil stayed on strongly for Joseph O’Brien to beat Tres Froide by half a length in the moderate Tadgh Kelly Carpentry Handicap.
The 14-1 shot was giving trainer, Iggy Madden, a first success since Galway Legend won over fences at Downpatrick on September 22 of last year.
Scots Gaelic did the business for Pat Flynn and Danny Grant in the Tadgh Clifford Groundcare Handicap. Driven ahead inside the furlong pole, Scots Gaelic found plenty to hold Magical Cat.
