Major success for Ursa
Partnered by Niall McCullagh, the 11/4 favourite got on top with a furlong to race and the son of Galileo had a length and a half to spare at the line.
“He keeps on improving and we will step him up in class now for a Listed or Group race,” revealed winning trainer Tommy Carmody.
There was a double on the card for both Shane Foley and Michael Halford, initiated by the imposing Regulation, who could have been called a winner a long way out in the Sycamore Lodge Equine Hospital Maiden. The Danehill Dancer colt looked a horse with a future when he proved far too strong for Lady Jock.
“Shane said that he got into the race easy and he handled the ground well, so we’ll step him up in class now,” stated Halford.
The pair completed a good night’s work when Massiyn got up close home to defeat Vedani to win the three-year-old handicap.
The Apprentice Derby was won in determined fashion by the Stephen Nolan trained Shamiran who looked beaten with a furlong to race, but Mark Enright galvanised the seven-year-old who responded gamely and asserted close home for a narrow success over Equity Swap.
Nolan said: “He was unlucky last week in the Ulster Derby and the plan is, if its soft he’ll go for the Galway Hurdle and if its good he’ll go for the two and a half mile hurdle on the Saturday.”
Sinaniya looked a promising sort when she foiled a gamble on My Special J’s to win the opening two-year-old fillies maiden.
The winner is trained by John Oxx who said: “I didn’t think she’d win on the ground and she got tired. We’ll be in no rush with her and we will try and pick up some black type for her later on.”
Princeton Plains landed a nice touch for connections when the six-year-old, who was supported from 10/1 yesterday morning down to 3/1 favourite, took the mile and a quarter handicap for Fran Berry and Eddie Harty.
