Indian Chief set for Dante date
Beaten by subsequent Group 1 winner Loch Garman on his only juvenile start, Indian Chief came from last to first under a confident Joseph O’Brien and, shaken up, quickened in encouraging style to beat Dubai Deer by a length.
Winning trainer Aidan O’Brien stated: “For a Montjeu, he’s sharp and has plenty of speed. They went steady and he quickened up well. He’ll got for one of the Derby trials and could be a Dante horse.”
At a meeting which attracted a crowd of 7,750, Declan McDonogh registered his first success for his new boss, the Aga Khan, when Kerisa captured the Irish Stallion Farms Fillies Maiden, also a first winner of the season for John Oxx.
Kerisa, a daughter of Azamour, held the persistent challenge of Say by a short head.
And Oxx’s assistant Jim O’Neill commented: “It’s good to get off the mark for the season. This filly’s work has been very good on an artificial surface, but we were a bit worried about her in that ground.
“She should improve as the ground gets better and we’ll go chasing some black type as the season progresses. She relaxes and might stay further.”
McDonogh completed a double when Stronger Than Me, trained by Bill Farrell, proved best in the INBA.ie Student Raceday Betting Voucher Handicap.
Back from England from a stint with Richard Fahey, apprentice Shane Kelly recorded his second win in Ireland when Leah Claire, trained by Willie McCreery, got the better of market rival Tantalising in the Spin 103.8 Rated Race.
Frank McNulty’s versatile mare, successful over hurdles in Limerick last week, will revert to hurdling at Punchestown next week, in either the opportunity event or the valuable two-and-a-half mile handicap on the final day of the Festival.
Stuccodor, which scraped home, by a nose, in a rated race in Gowran Park a week ago, romped to an impressive six lengths win under Pat Smullen in the Ross Nugent Foundation Handicap.
The Modigliani gelding, which was recording a fourth straight success, is trained by Dermot Weld, who commented: “He did it well. He’s a very fit horse and handles that ground well. We might consider jumping hurdles with him.”
Jim Bolger continued his tremendous run in the concluding Leopardstown Club Members Handicap when Morning With Ivan, raised 8lb. for a success at Gowran last week, followed up in gutsy style.
Soon in front, the tough Ivan Denisovich kept responding for Kevin Manning through the last two furlongs to beat favourite Kingdom by more than two lengths. The winner, a 15th of the season for Bolger, is likely to step up in trip.
Better known as a chaser, Head Waiter gave Claire Simpson her second training success and provided apprentice Conor King with his third when landing the Leopardstown Intervarsity Colours Challenge Cup after a good battle with longtime leader Rawnaq.
