Panama completes fabulous four-timer
Successful in Roscommon on Monday night and 25lb. higher than when he started his winning run at Leopardstown three weeks ago, the tough Medicean gelding again made all and stayed on strongly up the hill to beat Stringer Than Me by three and a quarter lengths.
Panama Hat was registering his third win in a week and, in the absence of Oliver, the winning rider explained: “He’s a very genuine, honest horse. Kevin (Manning, on Teoirim) didn’t let me dictate, like we did in Roscommon. But it played to my horse’s strengths as he tends to be idle.”
“It wasn’t the plan to make it the first day in Leopardstown, but nothing went on and he seemed to enjoy himself in front. He deserves a break and Andy tells me he’s going to have one.”
Eddie Lynam, who has his sights firmly set on Saturday’s July Cup with stable stars Slade Power and Sole Power, struck with another sprinter Yulong Baoju in the three-runner Boston Access Supporting Console Fillies Race.
The Fergal Lynch-ridden grey came from last to first in a muddling race to beat Colour Blue, with favourite Bilderberg last of the three.
Lynam declared: “Strange that a Rockingham third was the rag of three. But it was good to get a winner. It’ll keep things ticking over. They went no gallop, but she quickened up well. It’s good to have a winner for her owners — she’s the first horse they sent me and the others I have will take time. This filly will have another crack at the Rockihngham now.”
The Paul Deegan-trained debutante Little Rooster was a shock winner of the opening two-year-old fillies maiden, getting the better of Ballydoyle newcomer Toogoodtobetrue, with favourite Sexy Legs a neck away third.
The 14/1 winner was ridden by Chris Hayes, who explained: “She’s a lovely filly and has been showing a bit at home, but we thought the trip might be against her. To be fair to her, the race sharpened her up and going seven furlongs will be no harm. I think there’s a lot of improvement in her.”
The two-year-old colts maiden produced a Coolmore one-two, with the David Wachman-trained Crescent (8/1) getting first run on Aidan O’Brien’s odds-on favourite St. Patricks Day and holding on well to score by a length.
Winning rider Wayne Lordan stated: “He’s a fine big horse that stays well. He got a bit lost at Gowran, but this galloping track suited him much better. There should be plenty of improvement in him and he’ll go a mile, no problem.”
The Michael Halford-trained Sea Coast was backed into 11/8 favouritism, in opposition to David Wachman’s Fire Stone, ahead of the one-mile fillies maiden an duly delivered, earning a well-deserved bracket at the expense of Muileata.
The 84-rated daughter of Rock Of Gibraltar won convincingly by two and a half lengths, to the delight of trainer Halford: “She’s very genuine and straight-forward and was entitled to do that. All went to plan — Shane dropped her in and got her settled and she did it nicely. She’s a big, scopey filly and should keep improving. She’ll run in a good handicap somewhere now and will take her chance in a listed event before the end of the season.”
Top apprentice Colin Keane, currently in fourth position on the Jockeys Championship table, notched his 31st win of the campaign when capturing the six-furlong Montane Developents Supporting Console Handicap on Oor Jock, trained by Adrian McGuinness, who is at the Sales in Newmarket.
