El Salvador leaves Missunited trailing
After a slow early pace, Seamie Heffernan grabbed the initiative on Missunited at halfway and sent her on.
But she began to struggle early in the straight and had no answer once Joseph O’Brien sent El Salvador past, with Cosmic Cannoball staying on to fill second.
Said Missunited’s trainer, Michael Winters: “Seamie seemed happy enough, he felt she needed it. We will give her another run on the flat in a few weeks and the owners would love to go for the Ascot Gold Cup.”
Joseph O’Brien said of El Salvador: “He’s a lovely big horse, but disappointed us last season. He seems to have come back to himself and, when on song, is decent.”
Tom Madden, just 16-years-old, rode his sixth winner with an accomplished display aboard Willie McCreery’s Miss Gally Rio in the UL Racing Society Maiden.
He produced the filly to lead a furlong down and she then showed far greater resolution than the runner-up, Bush Pilot.
Miss Gally Rio did edge a little to her left in the closing stages, but an alteration to the placings was never a possibility. Madden, however, was found guilty of careless riding about two furlongs from home and suspended for one day.
Said McCreery: “The bit of fitness from her run last week (Leopardstown) counted in the final hundred yards, she’s tough. She is as lazy as sin at home.”
Dermot Weld trains Bush Pilot and he immediately gained compensation when Sparkle Factor justified short priced favouritism in the next, the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Fillies Maiden.
The daughter of Arch cruised through for Pat Smullen to head front running Sherama over a furlong out and was soon nicely in control.
Kris Weld represented his father and said: “On her two runs at two, she was entitled to have every chance today.
“The ground is very holding and that wasn’t ideal. She is likely to go for a winners’ race, or a fillies handicap.”
Weld, whose horses are in terrific shape, was on the mark again when Waaheb took the Derek Ryan Plays Live July 24th Maiden.
Uneasy in the market, he won like a long odds-on chance, after Fran Berry had sent him about his business with over a furlong to go.
“Fairyhouse will probably come too soon, but he might go to Punchestown,” reported Kris Weld.
Pat Smullen then landed a double, completing a treble for Weld, when Hisaabaat defied the steadier of 9-10 in the Munster Handicap.
The winner and Waydownsouth had a real battle through the last two furlongs, with Hisabaat responding generously to Smullen’s urgings to score decisively in the end by a length and a half
Said Smullen: “There was no pace in the race and I just let him bowl along, he’s a law unto himself.”
Jim Gorman’s Conan’s Rock, a winner at Leopardstown last week, defied top weight in the www.limerickraces.ie Online Special Packages Handicap.
Again partnered by the capable Gearoid Brouder, from Listowel, the winner made all, scoring with lots in hand.
Commented Gorman: “The ground is great for him (Conan’s Rock) and, as long it continues like that, he will keep going. He’s (Brouder) a good kid.”
Jim Bolger’s decision to put 10lbs claimer Danny Redmond on his top weight, Fiosrach, in the Tote Jackpot Handicap, reaped the ultimate reward.
Redmond switched the four-year-old to challenge entering the final furlong and Fiosrach got up close home to nail the flattering Eljowzah.
It was a first success for 18-year-old Redmond, who is from Drimnagh in Dublin and has been with Bolger for four years.
