Murphy humbles flat rivals

With a Cheltenham Festival success to his name already in 2006, John Joseph Murphy turned his attention to the Flat and struck at the top level when registering his first Group-race success with Pout in the Ridgewood Pearl Stakes at the Curragh.

Without a victory even at Listed level, Cork-based Murphy clocked up his first Pattern-race win in the mile event for fillies and mares as the rank outsider at 40-1 burst through on the stands rail for a one-and-a-half-length call.

Mark Usher’s front-running Royal Alchemist (11-4) had battled back against the 13-8 favourite Jazz Princess in the closing stages but the pair had to settled for third and second respectively, despite looking the only two possible winners passing the furlong pole.

Murphy, who saddled Newmill to score at the Festival as his first ever Cheltenham runner, said: “This is nice but it is not a patch on Cheltenham – it is a bit quiet here!

“She is tough and genuine and I was quite confident as conditions were right for her. She likes soft ground and is always staying on over six so the mile was no problem.

“We will see how she is before making plans but the ground at Royal Ascot might be too fast for her.”

On a profitable afternoon for British raiders, who struck gold in the 2000 Guineas with Araafa, Moss Vale got off the mark for David Nicholls under a fine front-running ride from Kieren Fallon in the Group Three Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes.

Having been a smart sort for Barry Hills in his younger days, the five-year-old has had two starts for Thirsk-based Nicholls with down-the-field finishes at York and Newmarket.

However, with those efforts under his belt it was third time lucky for the 7-2 shot who made every yard of the running and pulled steadily clear from halfway to came home with one-length to spare over the fast-finishing Moon Unit.

Miss Sally, sent off the even-money favourite, was another two lengths back in third and never looked like to adding to her seasonal debut which had brought about a hat-trick.

James Kelly, racing manager to owner Lady O’Reilly, said: “We bought him last year to have some fun with and to have some days out.

“Kieren got on brilliantly with him last year so we kept the partnership going and it has worked out. “This is only our second horse with Dandy and he was supremely confident.

“The ground is irrelevant to him. He has done it well on this and he has won on firm in the past too.”

Drayton maintain his unbeaten record with a classy display when making virtually all in the Listed five-furlong Isabel Morris Stakes.

The speedy two-year-old was soon bossing his six rivals at the head of affairs and the 11-8 favourite travelled hard on the bridle at the two-furlong pole as the rest of the field started to toil.

Wayne Lordan pushed the button passing the furlong marker and the colt readily pulled clear to beat King Of Swords of three lengths.

Trainer Tommy Stack’s son Fozzy said: “He is great at home and settles but he was like a bullet out of the stalls there and was very keen.

“He will go to either the Railway Stakes or the Coventry next. He handled faster ground when he won last time but whether he would want it firm at Ascot I don’t know, so the Railway might be the preferred option.”

Cashmans cut three-times winner Drayton into 8-1 from 10s for the Coventry at Royal Ascot on June 20.