I Can Fly lives up to her name with sparkling Ruby Stakes success in Killarney
Dermot Weld and Declan McDonogh led the way with a double on the opening day of Killarney August meeting, Aidan O’Brien pitched in with a brilliant winner of the feature, Jessica Harrington was on the mark with a progressive colt, and John Murphy continued his fine run at this track with another winner.
The listed Racing Post Vincent O’Brien Ruby Stakes topped the bill and the Aidan O’Brien-trained I Can Fly lived up to her name with a performance which oozed class.
Petticoat and Marshall Jennings set off in front but there didn’t look to be a particularly strong pace to the race. That being so, those being held up were at a disadvantage, but it mattered not a jot to I Can Fly, who coasted up to the leaders in the straight before skipping clear to win with tremendous authority.
The Ballydoyle brigade has been a bit under the weather recently and if that was the case with this filly then she could yet develop into the filly her early races suggested she could be. Her rider certain retains all his enthusiasm for her.
“I don’t think they’re fully firing, but she’s outclassed everything today,” said Heffernan.
“She came out of the Oaks a little worse than we expected - there’s a few of them coming out of their races not as we expect – but the season doesn’t wait for any one. Keep running them and the odd one will win and the odd one will get placed.”
“She’s a hell of a lot better (than she showed today) - I fancied her in the Guineas, in May. I had loads of confidence going out today, but I was pretty confident going down to the start in the Guineas and it didn’t happen, but hopefully they’ll pull it together now.”
Third World made it third time lucky when providing Dermot Weld and Declan McDonogh with the first leg of their 10-1 double, winning the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. For much of the straight McDonogh looked as though he had matters in hand aboard the Moyglare colt but he had to get quite serious inside the final furlong to reel in long-time leader Excelcius.
Weld and McDonogh completed their double with the exciting Falcon Eight, who backed up his recent debut success at The Curragh with an impressive display in the finale, the JOC Metal Fabrication Limited Race.
The rider always looked confident aboard the half-brother to Free Eagle, Custom Cut and Sapphire, and when he switched out to make a late challenge his mount duly galloped by to win by a wide margin. He holds no fancy entries this season, but connections hope he can develop into a high-class horse.
Said Kris Weld: “He’s still very immature, far from the finished article but we hope he will make into a very nice four-year-old. We’ve had to be very patient with him but it’s paying off. The way he’s bred you’d have to hope he might end up being something. I’d imagine he’ll have one more run this year.”
Two well-backed Michael Halford-trained runners dominated the finish to the Celtic Steps Maiden, and it was 3-1 joint-favourite Vivianite who landed the spoils in the hands of Ronan Whelan, for whom it was a first winner for this stable. The filly had just got the better of long-time leader and joint favourite Would Be King when stable-companion Spirit Of Big Bang produced his challenge, but she held on well to deny him by half a length.
Upton trainer John Murphy rarely leaves this meeting without a winner and he ticked the box early when reserve High Altitude took the Killarney Advertiser Handicap. The hitherto maiden travelled sweetly into the straight but was trapped behind runners. A gap appeared a furlong out and his rider, Colin Keane, squeezed him through before pushing him out to beat previous course winners Koybig and Mr Ormsby.
“For a while I thought he wasn’t going to get up,” said Murphy. “I don’t know why he hasn’t won a couple of races before now. He’s been a most unlucky horse, but he’s as genuine as the day is long. He needs quicker ground than this to be at his best, but we’ll see what the handicapper does before deciding where we go next.”
The Willie Martin-trained New Identity, whose only previous win was over five furlongs, battled gamely to take the first division of the one-mile Black Lion Diary Discussion Group 40th Anniversary Handicap in the hands of Denis Linehan.
The Galway festival brought about an upturn in fortunes for trainer Sheila Lavery, and that good form continued with the Gavin Ryan-ridden Danehill Quest getting up in the final strides to take the second division of the apprentice handicap. The winning trainer will be hoping her fine run continues into the weekend as star two-year-old Lady Kaya, who also runs in the colours of Joanne Lavery, will take the step up into group company for the Debutante Stakes.
Jessica Harington’s Still Standing looked a colt of considerable potential when bolting up in the M C Group Handicap. A narrow winner at Ballinrobe on his seasonal debut, just nine days previously, he was backed from 6-4 to 8-11 to follow up and did so without having to be asked a serious question.
Said Kate Harrington: “He did that really, really nicely. We’ve had a bit of a frustrating summer with him because he doesn’t want to go on the very, very quick ground. He got held up a little bit in the spring, but he’s going to come good and hopefully have a good autumn campaign.
“He has won here impressively and hopefully he will sneak into one of the big handicaps on Champions Weekend. He has a lot of pace but a mile and three or a mile and a half are going to be his trips.”
