Gorky gains overdue success
The 8/13 favourite appeared to be travelling well on the approach to the second last, but Russell had to get serious on the level to fend off the persistent challenge of Casimir Road to oblige by three quarters of a length.
Russell survived a steward’s inquiry on the Noel Meade trained Maxim Gorky who gained an overdue success at the expense of Too Scoops in the Goresbridge Maiden Hurdle.
“I like this horse and he has a great pedigree as he is out of a half sister to Sea The Stars and Galileo.
“He cracked his pelvis last year so you won’t see him too often and it might be a month or six weeks before he runs again” stated Meade.
Doneraile handler John Joe Walsh saddled Tellherimnothere to success in the Gowran Park Maiden Hurdle.
The winner was partnered by Ambrose McCurtin and Walsh said: “She has been unlucky a few times. My son, Martin, owns her and I’ve trained a lot of the family. She’ll be kept on the go and might go jumping fences soon”.
The feature event was the Jack Duggan Memorial Handicap Hurdle and it went to the well supported Golanbrook who got a determined drive from Barry Geraghty to score by three lengths over He’s Our Man.
“He has been in 11 months now and he deserves a break. It’s great to go out on a high note with him. Barry was very good on him, he has ridden him three times and he has won twice and been second”.
Peking To Paris wasn’t winning out of turn when the well supported 3/1 favourite captured the concluding bumper for the father and son team of Patrick and Willie Mullins.
Camelot meanwhile continues to shorten ahead of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Saturday.
The Investec Derby hero could even go off at a price resembling that of two superstars from Royal Ascot, according to Paddy Power, who price him up at 1-4 favourite from 2-7.
The bookmaker said: “There’s been bits and pieces of cash for Camelot today and it’s looking more and more likely that he could match Black Caviar or even Frankel’s Royal Ascot starting prices on Saturday.”
Should Aidan O’Brien’s unbeaten colt take his chance, among the opposition is set to be the Dermot Weld-trained Speaking Of Which.
Unraced as a two-year-old, the Invincible Spirit colt has made rapid strides, winning the last two of his three starts, most latterly when impressive in the Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh.
Weld told At The Races: “We’ve won the race a couple of times and it would be very nice to win it again.
“If it stops raining, I think Speaking Of Which will run very well.”
