Smooth success for Bose Ikard
Ridden by Davy Condon, six-year-old Bose Ikard, which carries his trainer’s colours, cruised into contention turning for home and was in command before the second last fence before beating his stable-companion, unextended, by two lengths.
“I always felt he wasn’t a bad horse — he just needed a trip,” stated Meade. “He ran okay in Kilbeggan the last day but kept running into trouble. He won well today and the horses are really beginning to fire. I suppose both horses ran to their marks.”
Having saddled the well-backed Atan to win the Railway Bar 3-Y-0 Maiden Hurdle, the first juvenile hurdle of the season, trainer Pat Flynn declared: “He cost a lot of money as a yearling and is a special horse, as good a horse as I ever had.”
Atan, an Alhaarth gelding, tracked the leaders before getting the better of Cabarete on the run-in. Flynn added: “Davy said he won with a bit in hand. I think he’ll be a better horse n a better race. He stays all day and has plenty of improvement in him.”
There was a double on the night for owner J P McManus, whose colours were carried to success by the Charlie Swan-trained Close One (David Casey) in the three-mile J F Hanley Handicap Hurdle and Ronnie O’Leary’s One Fine Morning (Mark Walsh) in the Class Grass Handicap Chase.
After Close One’e battling victory, Swan stated: “I have to thank the jockey — he was very good on him. This horse is only five but stays well and appreciated the three miles. He’s in again at Downpatrick on Sunday and there’s a chance he might go there.”
Ronnie O’Leary commented after 11/1 shot One Fine Morning’s gutsy win: “He likes good ground, so the rain hasn’t had much of an effect. He has been a pretty good servant and I’m sure we’ll find something for him in Killarney now.”
As the final leg of the Pick Six, the Michael Holland Tyres Handicap Chase took on extra significance for a number of Tote clients and the neck victory of the Eddie Cawley-trained Drop Anchor (Brian O’Connell) over Lapse Of Reason provided two lucky punters with a dividend of €198,255.40 each, after the pool swelled to a massive €566,443.50.
David Mullins, who rode a winner for his father in Galway last week, guided the Liam Cusack-trained 16/1 shot Red Sinner to a shock win in the bumper.
Mark Bolger recorded a welcome success when the experiences seven-year-old mare She’s A Leader, trained by Robert Honner for a family syndicate — the Flighty Flyers Syndicate — belatedly got off the mark in the Family Day August 18th Maiden Hurdle, proving too strong for Deputy’s Pass.
