Better ground helps Laviniad get back on winning trail
The five-year-old mare, trained for nearby Ballylinch Stud by Willie Mullins, was repeating a course success achieved last month and bouncing back from a defeat in heavy ground in Listowel, getting the better of Hes Our Music and stretching clear in the last hundred yards to triumph by two and a half lengths.
“She laboured in the heavy ground in Listowel but is a very consistent mare and runs to her mark every time,” commented Smullen.
“The ground out there is beautiful. She got away with the seven furlongs, although a mile is probably her ideal trip.”
A promising third on his debut at the Curragh, Air Vice Marshall justified 1/4 favouritism for the bang-in-form Ballydoyle team in the opening seven-furlong two-year-old maiden.
Ridden by Joseph O’Brien, the War Front colt still looked quite green, before, during and after the race, but quickened well to brush aside Hoppala, edging clear to win, unextended, by two and a half lengths.
“He had a nice first run and had come on plenty – he had improved at home and it looked that way today,” commented the winning rider. “Seven furlongs is probably his trip at the minute. I’m sure he’ll step into stakes company now.”
In the absence of Aidan O’Brien’s Royal Navy Ship, just three went to post for the finale, the Follow Gowran Park On Facebook Race. And, in a muddling race, the Ger Lyons-trained Lat Hawill (Colin Keane) outbattled Clonard Street to win by three-quarters of a length.
“The messy race probably suited us,” admitted Lyons, “The ground is as fast as he’d like and my only other concern was the trip. Seven furlongs or a mile with an ease in the ground is what he wants. We’ll look for a suitable listed race for him.
“It was important to support a race like this – we don’t have enough winners’ races. This horse does nothing at home, so it was grand to come and get paid for a bit of work here.”
The 81-rated Gussy Goose, trained for J P McManus by David Wachman, got off the mark when proving too strong for favourite Frozen Lake in the seven-furlong Gowran Park Racing Club Membership Maiden.
Having chased a strong pace, the Danehill Dancer filly got the better of her chief rival soon after the two-furlong pole and kept going for Fran Berry to score by three lengths prompting Frank Berry, representing her owner, to comment: “It’s nice she got her turn and got her head in front. She liked the ground and trip and got a nice toe into the race.”
Wachman completed a double when 2/1 favourite Wardell, confidently ridden by Wayne Lordan, came through to land the BBQ Evening August 12th At Gowran Park Handicap in emphatic style, forging clear to beat The Fairy readily by two and a quarter lengths.
