Scream Blue Murder set for quick return to listed company
On ground which had turned to ‘heavy’ following torrential rain from lunchtime, the Oratorio filly, well-beaten in the listed event won by Sky Lantern at Naas last time, stretched clear to slam Desert Of Dreams by almost five lengths.
Having watched Scream Blue Murder give Wayne Lordan his 31st success of the season, Fozzy Stack commented: “We’ve always thought a lot of this filly. She’s better than a Bellewstown filly, although she didn’t fire the last day in Naas.
“There are very few opportunities for two-year-olds over five furlongs and she’ll run in the listed race in Tipperary next Saturday (the Danehill Dancer Tipperary Stakes).”
On his first visit to Bellewstown as a trainer (his daughter rode in the amateur event), Aidan O’Brien saddled I Have A Dream to win the Essential Drogheda Magazine Maiden. The Galileo colt, off the track since October and a significant market-drifter, came from behind under Joseph O’Brien and outstayed his rivals, scoring by almost four lengths from hurdler/chaser Benash and prompting his trainer to comment: “It’s tough going out there but he might get further on the evidence of that performance.”
Winner of a flat maiden at Ballybrit three years ago and now a Grade 1-winning chaser, Blackstairmountain will head for the Galway Plate in the wake of an effortless win in the Meath Farm Machinery Amateur Race.
Confidently handled by Patrick Mullins (he put up 2lb. overweight at 11-2), Blackstairmountain challenged down the outside before coasting clear to beat Asiya by ten lengths. The winning rider confirmed: “This was his prep run for the Galway Plate and he’ll take beating there. He handles that ground, as long as he can stay on the bridle.”
The Chris Hayes-ridden Statue Of Dreams, labelled “a funny old bugger” by his trainer James McCabe, and Pat Flynn’s improving filly Faleena (Danny Grant) captured the five-furlong handicaps. Kevin Prendergast, 80 on Thursday, was on the mark when Lucked Out (Declan McDonogh) proved best in the Irish Stallion Farms Auction Maiden.
