Intisari far too good for Royal Navy Ship
“I warned Conor not to hit the front too soon, that Intisari was still as green as grass,” Lyons said.
“But everything went well and I though he was very impressive, for a baby. I’d say that’s the end of him in handicaps after a performance like that”
The winner was having only his third start, having won a maiden in Navan, and was giving Lyons his third win in this valuable handicap.
Paul Deegan saddled Well Caught to land the opening two-year-old auction maiden from another newcomer, Go Kart, initiating Hoban’s double.
The Zoffany filly edge ahead before the furlong-pole for an emphatic length and three-quarters success, to the delight of her trainer.
Deegan said: “She has always shown loads at home and looked one of the better ones. She’s smart and, although the five furlongs, from a high draw, was a concern, Conor said it’s a long time since he rode a two-year-old that picked up like her.”
Deegan added: “I was thinking that, if she ran well, we might let her take her chance in the Debutante and after this, that’s where she’ll probably go.”
Another promising newcomer was on show in the fillies maiden as French Blue, an Iffraaj filly, trained by Willie McCreery for Godolphin, pounced under Billy Lee to score impressively by four and a quarter lengths from the Aidan O’Brien-trained favourite Way To My Heart.
“She’s a grand filly, but a bit green and hot at home, so we put the hood on her today,” said McCreery.
“Billy gave her a lovely ride. She quickened away well and Billy says she’ll stay a mile.”
Apprentice Oisín Orr gave Balmont Mast, trained by his boss Eddie Lynam, a polished hands and heels ride to collar Have A Nice Day close home in the six-furlong Bar One Racing Mourne Handicap.
Another apprentice on the mark was Denis Linehan, who struck on Zylan, trained by his boss Johnny Murtagh, in the concluding maiden.
The Andy Slattery-trained Sors (Declan McDonogh) proved his liking for the polytrack when getting the better of last year’s winner Prince Connoisseur in the five-furlong rated race. Having taken time to recover from a gelding operation in the spring, the three-year-old has registered both of his wins at Dundalk.
Gary Phillips, successful on Shane Duffy’s War Room in the apprentice handicap, was earlier suspended for seven days for attempting to weight out with an unapproved back-protector for his ride on Megans Legacy in the opening two-year-old maiden.
