No place like Leicester for O'Neill
Dane O’Neill described Leicester as his lucky course after riding his second treble in successive months at the East Midlands track.
In August, he ended a quiet spell with a trio and struck again to the tune of 8841/2-1 on Dustry, Factotum and Shanzu.
“This is a lucky place for me. I had a treble here last month,” said a delighted O’Neill on taking his tally for the year to 74.
He completed his treble on Shanzu (22-1), who gamely held Totem Flower by a neck in the ladbrokes.com Handicap.
“That was a very gutsy performance. She used up a lot in the first couple of furlongs to get there,” said trainer Henry Candy.
“I thought Dane was very clever the way he allowed one or two to go by to give her a breather and something to aim at, which is exactly what he did when he won on her at Windsor.”
O’Neill kicked off with victory on Richard Hannon’s second string Dustry (10-1) in the ladbrokes.com Ibstock Maiden Auction Stakes.
Punters preferred Hannon’s other runner, 13-8 favourite Our Day Will Come, but Dustry and O’Neill proved them wrong.
Hitting top gear a furlong out, he took it up 100 yards from the line to beat Hi Shinko by a length and a three-quarters with Speedy Guru third. Our Day Will Come was only sixth.
“He’s only just coming to himself now and he was quite impressive close to the line,” said the trainer’s son and assistant, Richard Hannon junior.
“He’s got an engine and it’s a bigger one than we thought he had. He’ll probably go for nurseries now.”
Factotum, the 5-2 favourite and a half-brother to the brilliant Falbrav, finally got off the mark at the sixth attempt in the ladbrokes.com Maiden Stakes.
O’Neill was always comfortable on the Luca Cumani-trained four-year-old and was not hard pressed to hold Princess Rainbow by two and a quarter lengths.
“He’s still learning, still a baby and I think there’s more to come,” said Cumani’s travelling head lad, Ian Willows.
Errigal Lad, backed down from 8-1 to 4-1 favourite, duly landed the gamble in the ladbrokescasino.com Handicap.
Always prominent, Kevin Ryan’s gelding was strongly challenged by Tadalavil but kept finding more for Neil Callan.
“I think the owners like a bit of a bet. He’s been running consistently well,” said Ryan’s travelling head lad Michael Herrington.
Nizhoni Dancer (8-1) got up close home to deny long-time leader Aladdin’s Lamp by a neck in the ladbrokes.com Desford Nursery.
“We’ve been waiting to step her up in trip on better ground and we finally got the right opportunity and she’s done it well,” said trainer Chris Wall.
Nawamees, the 2-1 favourite, recorded his 12th career success with victory by a nose over No To Trident in the ladbrokescasino.com Claiming Stakes, his seventh in similar company.
