Reglisse swoops for impressive victory
A promising third to Harasiya on her debut over course and distance, the daughter of Verglas swooped past flattering Sharkayla in impressive style and stretched clear to triumph by three and a quarter lengths.
“I call her Kate Moss — she doesn’t eat much,” was winning trainer’s Eddie Lynam post-race comment. “She was very stupid the first but is learning as she goes along. She did it well tonight, although at non stage would you think that she’d win by more than three lengths.
“Given her pedigree, we’ll look for some black type for her. And she should keep improving.”
The earlier, five-runner Leopardstown.com 2-Y-0 Race went to Ballydoyle as debutant Flying The Flag, ridden by Joseph O’Brien, ultimately got the better of front-running, course and distance winner Einsteins Folly, which was conceding 5lb. to the winner.
Inexperience and a high head carriage caused supporters of the 5/4 favourite some anxious moments before he finally realised what was expected of him and edged past Kevin Manning’s mount to score by three-quarters of a length.
Joseph O’Brien commented: “He was as green as grass and did well to win. He’ll step into listed or group class now and will be well up to it.”
One of the newest recruits to the training ranks Michael O’Callaghan, based near Rathangan, Co Kildare, registered his first success in Ireland when Bogini, already successful twice for the stable in England (in Bath and Sandown), justified 9/4 favouritism in the opening jogforjockeys.ie Fillies Race.
And the Holy Roman Emperor filly will not be allowed rest on her laurels as she is set to reappear, under a mandatory 6lb. penalty in the five-furlong Fast Shipping Ireland Handicap in Bellewstown tonight.
O’Callaghan explained: “She probably kept a bit for herself and we’ll try to strike again with a 6lb. penalty in Bellewstown tomorrow.”
In-form Shane ‘Dusty’ Foley, successful on Reglisse, completed a double on board the Ken Condon-trained Little Arrows in the John Boyle Memorial Handicap, the Danehill Dancer gelding getting the better of Valbucca by a length and a quarter before surviving a Stewards Enquiry.
Foley, now on 30 winners for the turf season, was subsequently banned for two racedays for careless riding.
Off the track since being pipped by stable-companion Cnoc An Or in Killarney back in May, Kedleston landed the KILA Handicap in the hands of Wayne Lordan (like Foley, bringing his seasonal tally to 30), rallying when joined inside the final furlong by Summer Knight to score by a head.
John Egan notched his first winner of the season when partnering Salam Alaykum to a convincing two lengths win over top-weight Placere in the Cross Charity Handicap.
And the talented and tough mare Oilily, trained near Athy, Co Kildare, by Sean Byrne and ridden by his son and namesake, captured the concluding Leopardstown Club Membership Amateur Race, enjoying a substantial turnaround in form with favourite Dare To Doubt on a recent clash over course and distance.
After a protracted duel, Oilily prevailed by a short-head over the Mick Winters-trained Missunited. And trainer Byrne confirmed the valuable amateur handicap in Galway as the mare’s next target.
The winning rider was later cautioned by the Stewards concerning his use of the whip. But Mark Fahey, rider of fourth-placed Greenbelt Star, was suspended for two days for using his whip with excessive force and frequency.
And Danny Grant (rider of Fit The Cove) received a two-day careless riding ban following an incident in the first furlong of the earlier John Boyle Memorial Handicap, in which Nanotech was hampered an unseated Leigh Roche.
