Sparrow wings in for easy success
Both fillies were having their third run and stepped-up to record emphatic end-of-season victories and will be put away until next season.
Ridden prominently, Dance With Another stayed on stoutly to hold Achnaha by three-quarters of a length in the mile fillies maiden, prompting her trainer to explain: “She has progressed with each run, but is still quite green and wandered a bit in front. She’ll stay well and handles a dig in the ground, so she’ll probably start early next season.”
Sparrow, runner-up to Tested over seven furlongs here last time justified hefty on-course support in the six-furlong maiden, making virtually all along the stands rail to beat Bilderberg by almost three lengths. “Joseph was very happy with her and says she’s progressing all the time,” said O’Brien. “She has plenty of speed and a mile will probably be her trip. She’ll start in one of the Guineas trials in the spring.”
The Ballydoyle outfit was denied a two-year-old treble in the one mile maiden confined to unraced animals as favourite Tigris River (Joseph O’Brien) dropped away tamely before the Seamus Heffernan-ridden Table Rock failed by a head to catch the well-touted, John Oxx-trained colt Ebanooran, first leg of a double for Declan McDonogh.
Ebanooran travelled well throughout, quickened into the lead and looked set for a convincing win before idling. But, to his credit, he found plenty when tackled by the runner-up and, although it’s hard to assess the strength of this type of race, he looked a nice prospect. Oxx said: “He’s a nice, well-bred colt, with a mix of speed and stamina in his pedigree. So his best trip will remain a guessing game until next season.”
McDonogh followed-up when 20/1 shot C’est Ma Soeur, bogged down in heavy ground in Listowel last time according to her trainer Jim Gorman, bounced back to winning form in the 30-runner Curragh Training Grounds Handicap.
Christy Geoghegan, who served his time with Kevin Prendergast before spending time with Philip Hobbs in England and returning to work for Aidan O’Brien last spring, savoured a welcome winner when the Joanna Morgan-trained Ancient Sands defied top-weight in the Buy Online At curragh.ie Handicap.
* Irish racing has been dealt a blow with the news that government funding will be cut by almost 9% in 2014. Funding for the racing industry will fall by €4m to €40m next year, it was revealed in yesterday’s Budget. The cut represents the largest reduction in central funding since 2010.
