Cesarewitch stroll for Voleuse
The three-year-old Teofilo filly, owned by Lady O’Reilly and raised 15lb. for an emphatic win at the Galway festival, travelled sweetly throughout and came through to slam Mick Winters’ mare Missuniuted by ten lengths, with eleven-year-old Lough Ferrib third and the flattering Tantalising fourth.
Winning trainer Weld, who was winning his fourth Irish Cesarewitch, “managed to watch the race live” in Toronto (where he saddled Princess Highway in last night’s E P Taylor), according to his son Kris, who added: “This was the plan since Galway and we thought she’d win.
“She handled bad ground in Galway, but this was winter ground today. She handled it admirably and won well. She’s a very nice staying filly and will stay in training next year. We’ll try to get some black type for her.”
Bought out of Paul Deegan’s yard by Rick Barnes of Grangecon Stud after making a successful debut in Listowel and now trained by Patrick Prendergast, Seolan paid an immediate dividend for her new connections when landing the listed Staffordstown Stud Stakes.
“I really liked her when she won in Listowel, where I won with a two-year-old colt,” said Prendergast. “A lot of the credit goes to Paul Deegan. She arrived to me in great health and I didn’t feck her up. She worked very well last week. I would have cried if they called the meeting off. We haven’t looked beyond today and just wanted to get black type for her.”
Seolan provided Chris Hayes with the first leg of a listed double, completed when Midnight Soprano, having her first run since Goodwood, landed the Irish Field Finale Stakes in gutsy fashion, sweeping past odds-on favourite Chamonix early in the straight before holding the late challenge of Minsk by a neck.
Deegan, at the Newmarket Sales, explained, via his representative Paul Coyle: “I’m delighted with her. She’s holding her form well and will probably go to France for a Group 3 in a few weeks.”
Winning rider Hayes said: “I was worried that Johnny’s horse might outstay her, so I kicked early. It nearly cost me, but she’s tough and stuck at it well.”
Katla, the only horse trained, between Cashel and Rosegreen by owner-breeder John Grogan (who quipped “Aidan lives near me, not the other way around”) bounced back to winning form when getting the better of odds-on favourite Maarek and Colour Of Love in the listed Waterford Testimonial Stakes.
The Majestic Missile filly, which prevailed by a length, now has the distinction of winning in listed company at two, three and four.
