Sapphire sizzles on reappearance
Partnered by Pat Smullen, the rapidly improving daughter of Medicean travelled like a dream through the contest.
Smullen asked her to lead with over two furlongs to go and Sapphire exploded clear to beat the running-on Betterbetterbetter by four and three quarter lengths.
Commented Weld: “I have won this for three of the last four years and am very pleased with that comeback performance.
“We will now look at the Group 1 Pretty Polly at the Curragh. I know it means going back two furlongs in trip, but she is a most progressive mare.
“We may have to travel her to places like France, she loves an ease, soft ground is a help.”
Said Smullen: “She was very impressive and is definitely ground dependent. She has a great turn of foot on such a surface.”
English invader, Mirza, trained by Rae Guest, battled on dourly to take the Listed five furlongs Galtee Midsummer Sprint Stakes.
Powerfully handled by Fran Berry, the son of Oasis Dream found plenty for pressure to finally master the flattering My Girl Anna well inside the furlong pole and score by half a length.
“He’s in great form and loves the ground”, reported Guest. “We came over on Friday and the racecourse was very good to us.
“There were doubts about the meeting and they kept us constantly updated, which is vital when coming from so far away.
“This horse is in the Wokingham on Saturday, but Ascot dries up quickly and that’s why we came here. It’s unlikely he will run in the Wokingham now.”
Said Berry: “We were slowly away, but it made no difference because he made up the ground quickly.
“Six furlongs would be more suitable for him and he’s capable of holding his own in better company over that trip.’’
Berry completed a double when Charles O’Brien’s Edith Cowan streaked away with the Golden Olive Maiden.
Backed from 8-1 to 6’s, the daughter of Galileo eased into the lead a furlong down to beat Jumbo Prado with plenty in hand.
Andrew Oliver’s Firethorn went off a short-priced favourite, but failed to pick up in the straight, finishing a well-beaten fourth.
It subsequently transpired that Firethorn had spread a plate in running, while rider, Chris Hayes, indicated that he may not have handled the ground.
Ricky Doyle, rider of Naughty in this contest, attempted to weigh out without a back protector and was suspended for seven days.
It’s a long way from Tyrone to Cork, but it paid dividends earlier for Oliver, whose Potomac won the Charleville Cheese Handicap.
Produced with a strong challenge on the outside by Hayes, he was well in control through the final furlong to beat the gambled-on Bold Thady Quill.
“That was a good ride by Chris”, reported Oliver. “He’s a horse who was off for a few years and was bought from Darley. He has plenty of ability, handles that ground and we’ll see where we go from here.”
Paul Hennessy, better known as a trainer of greyhounds, is clearly no mug at this game either and was on the mark with First Friday in the Kerry Group Raceday Handicap.
Ridden by Seamus Heffernan, First Friday made all the running, holding Gothen Niece by half a length.
“This means a lot, he was born and reared at home and is like a child to us”, remarked Hennessy. “Seamie says to go to Galway and we’ll do what we’re told.”
Conor Hoban, who rode Our Nana Rose in this race, was found guilty of using his whip when his chance of winning or being placed was gone and suspended for two days.
Willie Mullins doesn’t run many two-year-olds, but all races seem to come the same to the multi-talented handler and his newcomer, Blue Bullet, landed the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Maiden.
The winner and Dermot Weld’s first-timer, Scent Of Roses, had it between them from the furlong pole, with Blue Bullet staying on to score by a neck.
Pat Flynn and Danny Grant continued their good run when Chois The Idea took the Kerry Group Handicap.
Successful previously in a maiden at Down Royal, the Choisir gelding ploughed his way through the testing conditions in good style, hitting the front at the two furlong pole to beat Battleroftheboyne.
George Kent, who trains near Tramore, Co Waterford, had his second winner on the track when Custom Cut (giving Grant a double) proved far too good for market-leader, Angel Bright, in the Low Low Handicap.
Kent, whose first winner came with Ronan’s Bay at Fairyhouse last September, said: “We bought him as a lead horse, but he’s doing a bit more than that.”
