Beach double for Flynn and Grant
Successful at Limerick in June, Topadee appreciated the fast surface as she scored an emphatic two-and-a-quarter lengths victory over Toufan Express in the opening Balmarino Handicap, prompting Grant to explain, in the absence of the winning trainer: “She’s a good filly and did it well. She loved the surface. And, once she got the split, it was all over.”
The beach certainly sparked significant improvement from six-year-old Jeangeorges, without a win since last September, as the six-year-old slammed Romeo’s On Fire by more than four lengths to complete the Flynn/Grant double.
It was a day to remember for trainer Jessica Harrington, former champion jockey Paul Townend and amateur champion Patrick Mullins, all of whom completed the ‘full house’ of having winners at every track in Ireland.
Harrington was not present to see Parramatta, winner of a Ballinrobe bumper on fast ground before running creditably on the flat over longer trips, land the seven-furlong Gilna’s Cottage Inn Maiden, beating Captain May by two and a half lengths.
Parramatta was ridden by Shane Foley, who explained: “Fran (Berry) told me she was the best horse in the race and to give her a chance. She was struggling early but the further she went, the better she went. And she won well.”
Patrick Mullins had to work hard to get Six Silver Lane (unable to wear his customary cheekpieces here) home by a nose from Core Elenent in the thetote.com New Website Handicap before surviving a Stewards Enquiry.
Dick Donohoe’s Mt Weather provided former champion Paul Townend with his first Laytown win when getting up late to foil-front-running Under Review in the six-furlong O’Neill’s Sports Handicap, The nine-year-old, bound for Listowel next Friday, has an admirable record at Laytown — two wins and two seconds from four visits.
And the husband-and-wife combination of in-form Ken Condon and Pauline Ryan landed the finale, the Hibernia Steel Race with Dream Applause which made all to beat Usa, with well-backed favourite Dumbarton dead-heating for third place.
* Seamus Heffernan was banned for two racedays following an incident at the start of the Gilna’s Cottage Inn Maiden in which his mount, Ordinary Man, was left at the start.
