Workmanlike Dabadiyan sends punters home happy
It was a workmanlike performance from the Zamindar colt which Michael Halford trains for the Aga Khan. Having tracked Royal Irish Hussar, McDonogh seized the initiative turning for home. The 4/6 favourite looked likely to stretch clear, but appeared to idle in front and had to be kept up to his work by McDonogh to beat Shu Lewis by three-quarters of a length with Sir Ector a close third.
Dabadiyan holds a number of big entries, including the Irish and English St. Legers and Halford commented: “He won well and only does enough. He’ll probably go to York for the Great Voltigeur now, before we decide about the St. Leger.”
David Wachman and Wayne Lordan shared a double with Ava Star and Harpist in the early maiden action. Ava Star got up late to reverse Roscommon form with favourite Harlem Shake in the seven-furlong, two-year-old event while Harpist, an all-day gamble and sent off at 4/7, made all to win the Magners Berry Maiden.
Lordan said: “Everything was in her favour today and she was entitled to win on her form. She has always worked really well at home and has a high cruising speed.”
Wachman’s apprentice Connor King, who lost his 7lb. claim at Leopardstown on Thursday, was on the mark again when renewing his partnership with Harry Rogers’ mare Strandfield Lady, successful at Ballinrobe on Monday, to another victory in the www.downroyal.com Fillies Handicap. It was the mare’s eleventh career success.
Trainer James Nash declared: “That was ninety-nine per cent down to Joseph, as good a ride as any of mine ever got,” after Joseph O’Brien got quirky eight-year-old Tsar Paul to the front very late to defy top-weight in the Magners Light Handicap.
Andy Oliver will run Target Acquired under a mandatory penalty at Galway on Monday following his gutsy defeat of Toccata Blue in the Now Is A Good Time, the runner-up one of four seconds on the night, from as many runners, for trainer Ger Lyons.
Meanwhile, the Willie Mullins-trained Supreme Ballerina proved the star of Wexford’s jumps action, the Patrick Mullins-ridden 8/13 favourite forging to an impress thirteen lengths win in the Baganbun Mares Flat Race.
“She loves that ground and was very good,” declared the winning rider. “She’s very laid-back, which is a great asset. She stays well and has a good turn of foot. I’m not sure where she’ll go now, but the lads (the Supreme Racing Club) will have plenty of fun with her.”
Riding honours in Wexford went to Jody McGarvey, who doubled-up on Good Decision, for his boss Christy Roche, and Eoin Doyle’s Count Salazar to ride out his 7lb. claim.
