Ishvana keeps it in the family for O’Briens
The trainer’s apparent second string behind Reply, and owned and bred by his wife Anne-Marie, Ishvana showed her second place in the Irish 1,000 Guineas was no fluke.
She battled on resolutely to hold the fast-finishing Sentaril by a length to give jockey Seamie Heffernan his first ever winner at the Royal meeting.
“She had a very good run at the Curragh last time and she’s a very progressive filly,” said O’Brien.
“She has plenty of speed and won over five furlongs as a two-year-old and was second in the Guineas. She’ll be considered for all those big races now.”
Heffernan, however, was suspended for seven days (July 4-10) and fined £550 for using his whip above the permitted level. Johnny Murtagh was found guilty of the same offence to a lesser extent and given a two-day ban on the runner-up.
Duntle (4-1 favourite) ended a good day for the Irish with victory for trainer David Wachman and jockey Wayne Lordan by half a length over Alsaadi in the Sandringham Handicap.
“After she ran very well in the Leopardstown fillies’ trial we decided to wait for this. We’ve always thought a lot of her,” said Wachman.
“She’s likely to finish her career in America. We’re not sure when and I’m sure she’ll do great things over there. I’ll speak to Alan Cooper (racing manager) to decide where she goes before then.
“She’s a smart filly and has always shown us plenty, she’s got Group One entries. I won’t let go of her just yet.”
John Gosden endured the extremes of racing in 24 hours when Joviality gave him the tonic of a Group Two victory after the fatal injury suffered by The Nile on the opening afternoon of Royal Ascot.
The filly, owned by Sheikh Mohammed’s wife, Princess Haya of Jordan, had failed to build on her success in the Musidora in May last year.
However, after a prep run at Epsom, she came good again to capture the Windsor Forest Stakes in the hands of William Buick.
Joviality (11-1) looked to have been headed by Chachamaidee, who made up lots of ground having been slowly away, but fought back to score by a neck, and the pair could meet again the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket’s July Cup meeting.
“She didn’t like the camber at Epsom but I had to give her a run and it worked pretty well,” said Gosden.
“She saw out the stiff mile here pretty well. She’s a nice tough filly and we’re hoping for a decent summer. She’s in the Falmouth so we’ll look at that and there’s the Nassau after that. That would be the logical route.”
