Chrysanthemum blooms early
Chrysanthemum’s win proved the highlight of a sparkling treble for Wayne Lordan, also successful on Coolnagree and Amira’s Prince.
A four-year-old Danehill Dancer filly, Chrysanthemum was in front with a furlong and a half to race and ran on strongly to triumph by a length and a half, recording her second Group 3 success, having won the C L Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh as a juvenile.
Successful trainer Wachman commented: “She likes an ease in the ground and never really got her conditions last season. She was third in a Group 1 (the Pretty Polly) and was entitled to win a race like this. She’ll run in any of those Group races for fillies and she’ll step-up a little in trip.”
Lordan, who ended the winter programme at Dundalk as leading rider, with thirteen winners, followed-up when Coolnagree, trained by Willie McCreery proved a facile winner of the Gabriel Curran Memorial Madrid 3-Y-0 Handicap, edging past favourite Swerve before holding top-weight Ishvana by a length.
“I’m delighted with that,” said McCreery. “We planned to track the favourite and make a move late. Wayne gave her a lovely ride, although she was probably in front a little soon.
“She had a nice weight in that ground. We’ll see what the handicapper does to her. I have something in mind for her, but I don’t want to say anything at this stage.”
Aidan O’Brien expressed his delight with the effort of runner-up Twirl, the mount of Ryan Moore. “She ran a lovely race and should come forward for the run.”
Lordan rounded-off a very successful afternoon when Amira’s Prince, second leg of a double for trainer David Wachman, romped to a convincing victory in the concluding mile maiden, proving three and a quarter lengths superior to debutant Speaking Of Which. Wachman commented: “He’s still very raw and green. Wayne said he was pricking his ears in front and not doing a tap. He should improve a lot and will step up in trip. He’ll go for a stakes race now.”
The first major handicap of 2012, the Tote-sponsored Irish Lincoln went to 3/1 favourite Sharestan, ridden for John Oxx by champion jockey Johnny Murtagh. Having only his third run, the Shamardal colt came through to get the better of the flattering Ansaab, powering clear to score by two and three-quarter lengths.
Oxx admitted: “We’re not sure about his best trip but he has always looked like a good horse and was a smart two-year-old before he got injured shortly before he was due to run. We didn’t rush him, waiting for him to recover fully before he ran.”
He added: “He’ll probably step-up to listed class next time, in the Heritage at Leopardstown in three weeks. We’ll keep him to a mile for the moment before we decide whether we should drop him back or step him up.
“He might sharpen up with more experience under his belt.”
Oxx, who hopes to run his classy three-year-olds Born To Sea and Akeed Mofeed at Leopardstown in three weeks, said of his first Irish Lincoln winner: “He goes on easy ground, but I though his inexperience would tell against him in a race like the Lincoln.”
Jim Bolger made the perfect start to the new campaign when Dawn Approach justified even-money favouritism in the opening two-year-old event, the Tally Ho Stud Maiden. Dawn Approach was a first runner, and winner, for first season sire New Appraoch, winner of the 2008 Epsom Derby for the Coolcullen trainer, who has more than a dozen of the sire’s offspring in his string.
Always close to the pace, the Kevin Manning-ridden Dawn Approach travelled well and picked up in pleasing style to see off Canary Row by a length and three-quarters. Bolger commented: “He’s very laid-back, a little different to his old man. We won’t get carried away but he’s a nice prospect and should improve when he steps up in trip. I have no immediate plan, but he’ll probably be back here in September (presumably a reference to the National Stakes).”
