Kissed romps into Oaks picture
Successful on her debut on this track last October, she made all and stretched clear, apparently effortlessly, to slam Aaraas by eight and a half lengths, a performance which stamped her a realistic classic contender.
Both Paddy Power and Stan James quickly slashed her Oaks price to 5/1 (from 8/1) and winning rider Joseph O’Brien suggested: “She’s definitely in the mix as an Oaks filly.”
O’Brien added: “She’s a lovely, uncomplicated filly and much better than any of those. I don’t think better ground will be problem to her, although she won on the soft twice. She won very impressively and should come on for the run.”
Kissed is a three-parts sister (by Galileo) to Investec Derby victor Pour Moi.
Group 2 placed as a juvenile, Athens completed a double for Ballydoyle when making virtually all and staying on stoutly under Joseph O’Brien to beat Ursa Major by two lengths.
It was the performance of a stayer, as Joseph confirmed: “He’s a nice, big, straight-forward colt. He did it the hard way, making the running and seeing it out well into a very strong wind. You’d like to think he’ll stay further.”
Having bypassed Friday’s Rabobank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown, Unaccompanied made a successful return to action (off the track since the Irish Champion Hurdle in January) when winning the navanracecourse.ie Race for Dermot Weld, Pat Smullen and the Moyglare Stud Farm,
Having tracked the leaders, the Danehill Dancer mare challenged from three furlongs out and was in control well before the furlong-pole before seeing off Rising Wind by a length and three-quarters.
Trainer Weld was represented by his son Kris, who said: “She won nicely, as she was entitled to do. We have no specific targets for her at the moment. But I expect she’ll campaign in listed and Group races. She’s a listed winner, but we’re seeking more black type for her.”
Shane Lyons, brother and assistant to Ger, nominated the Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh as the next likely target for Watsdachances following her facile, six lengths win in the opening two-year-old fillies maiden under Johnny Murtagh.
Testing ground and a strong headwind made life difficult for the juveniles. But, helped by her debut third at Cork, the Diamond Green filly got on with the job in the closing stages to slam debutante Lottie Dod, to the delight of breeder Padraig Lyons, an All-Ireland winner with Meath in the ’80’s. Shane Lyons stated: “You’d have to be delighted with that display. She improved no end from Cork to here, She’s a tough, hard filly and we would have been disappointed if she didn’t win today. She had to do it the hard way.”
“Johnny was impressed and thinks she’ll win a listed race. That’s the plan — to get some black type for her.”
Murtagh completed a double when the John Oxx-trained debutant Karatash, by Halling, landed the ten-furlong Dunderry Maiden at the expense of Dermot Weld’s Spirit Of Concorde. Backed from 9/2 to 100/30, the Aga Khan-owned colt delighted Oxx’s assistant Jim O’Neill, who admitted: “He’s quite lazy at home and we felt he might run into the money. But Johnny said he woke up in the race.”
“He’s a nice horse, should improve from the experience and will go on better ground. I’d say he’ll probably stick at a mile and quarter for now, but I don’t where he’ll be heading.”
Unlucky in his two previous starts, at the Curragh and Naas, the Tommy Stack-trained Atacx made it third-time-lucky when justifying 9/10 favouritism in the Irish Racing Calendar Maiden.
Drawn high and always prominent, Atacx was in front at halfway and, driven out by Lordan, always had the measure of Legal Peace, which tracked the winner from the start. The pair stretched fifteen lengths clear of the third, giving an indication of the underfoot conditions and strength of the opposition.
Fozzy Stack commented: “He was unlucky in Naas — he missed the kick and got knocked down a couple of times. So he deserved to get his head in front. He doesn’t do a lot if front, at home or today. He’s had two quick runs and will probably have a month off before going for a handicap.
“He’ll have no problem getting seven furlongs.”
