Rochelle lands emotional success for Kinsella
Andrew Kinsella struggled to fight back the tears after a poignant victory for Rock Of Rochelle in the Rosaleen Kelly Blenheim Stakes at the Curragh.
While some of the trainer’s emotions had probably been provoked by gaining a valuable Listed prize in his first licensed season, there were stronger feelings closer to home.
“It’s really fitting, as the race is named after a lady who died of cancer. Tommy Quinn (owner) lost his wife through cancer and my mother had a stint of it herself,” said Kinsella.
The 15-2 shot, who carries the same colours as Quinn’s former star Grey Swallow, was a course and distance winner a fortnight ago and had evidently not had a straightforward preparation.
But he gave his all from the front and knuckled down well for Valdir De Souza to best Domingues by three-quarters of a length.
Kinsella continued: “The horse had a bit of a chill after the last race and we didn’t know if he’d make it, so he was only 90% today and there is an awful lot more to come.
“We’re still learning, but I’d say we’ll try and find a seven-furlong Group Three.”
The other decent event on the National Stakes undercard, the Group Three Ladbrokes.com Solonaway Stakes, had a rather end-of-season feel to it, with a collection of general underachievers.
But 11-4 favourite Jumbajukiba should not be begrudged his day and having registered a Listed win at the first attempt last time he made most of the running to score for Fran Berry and Jessica Harrington.
Jim Bolger had quipped “that’s the pressure over for today” when Toirneach (3-1 favourite) had narrowly taken the opening Bank Of Scotland (Ireland) EBF Maiden, with the small matter of New Approach’s National Stakes challenge to come.
The trainer was ominous in his predictions for this particular filly, who was second in a decent maiden first time out and just got the better of Aidan O’Brien’s Greatwallofchina by a short head, with respective jockeys Kevin Manning and Kieren Fallon in full flight down the home straight.
O’Brien’s William Hogarth acquitted himself respectably in sixth but did not appear have the ability to match the ante-post money wagered on him for next year’s Epsom Derby.
“She’s a good, hardy filly,” said Bolger.
“There’s a big day in her, but we will probably go the Listed route first.”
Choosing (15-2) rectified a narrow defeat when favourite at Bellewstown last month by getting up in the Bank Of Scotland (Ireland) Nursery.
Finsburra set off at a fair pace in an attempt to make all but Choosing showed the telling turn of foot inside the final furlong and won readily by a length and a half under Wayne Lordan.
“She was quite well treated here and five or six furlongs is her trip,” said trainer David Wachman.
“I’d say she’d run in a similar sort of race next time.”
Sedna (10-1) took the Anglesey Lodge Equine Hospital Handicap for the small local yard of Bill Farrell, while John Oxx was again on the scoresheet at the three-day fixture with Taralaya (5-1) in the Bank Of Scotland (Ireland) Handicap.
