Rose blooms at Naas
Kevin Prendergast’s Rose Bonheur may have had her limitations exposed in the Irish 1,000 Guineas but she was well up to taking the Listed Owenstown Stud Stakes at Naas.
Prior to her lacklustre show in Classic company, the three-year-old had won over sprint distances at Tipperary and at this track and showed seven furlongs was within her range this time.
The well supported 9-2 favourite travelled kindly throughout in the hands of stable jockey Declan McDonogh and once asked to go about her business, Rose Bonheur soon sprinted clear, coming home two lengths ahead of Blaze Brightly.
It was the second leg of a quickfire double for the trainer and jockey having struck in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden with 13-2 shot Brown Butterfly.
Of Rose Bonheur, Prendergast said: ``She won well. Her Guineas run was good. She was only beaten just over six lengths.
“Seven furlongs is probably her trip. She would want to settle better to get that extra furlong.
“We’ll probably go for a Group Three over seven furlongs next. There’s a couple coming up over the next month to six weeks.
“She is very consistent and on her Guineas run had to have a big chance today.”
Richard Hannon's British raider Lilbourne Lad annihilated the opposition in the Alfred Nobel Rochestown Stakes.
Notably the only ride on the card for Richard Hughes, the 9-4 chance was soon tanking along at the head of affairs.
The opposition were queuing up in behind, all of whom were previous winners, but none were in the same class as Lilbourne Lad.
Once Hughes gave the youngster his head, he quickly put daylight between himself and his rivals and he was not hard pressed to come home six lengths clear of Snowflake Dancer.
Assistant trainer, Richard Hannon jnr, said: ``He's a very nice horse and we have always liked him a lot.
“We were a bit disappointed he got beaten on his second run. I think it was a lack of experience and also giving the winner three pounds.
“It was a really good performance today. We’ll have to look at Ascot after that and he’s also in a lot of the sales races.
“I couldn’t have been more pleased. He surprised me a bit as he’s not a horse that does a lot at home.”
Teolane recorded her second successive victory with a determined display in the Coolmore Stud European Breeders Fund Fillies Sprint Stakes.
Jim Bolger’s filly, a daughter of the yard’s former champion juvenile Teofilo, was sent off the 11-10 market-leader to supplement her recent Leopardstown win.
Kevin Manning bustled her up into an early lead as she dropped back from seven to six furlongs and while she was off the bridle a fair way from home, she kept responding to pressure.
The well-supported Princess Sinead gave chase, but was two and a half lengths away at the finish.
