Freddie Tylicki off mark as an owner
There were some fine displays yesterday at Mallow, and Mary Salome, trained by Madeleine Tylicki and part-owned by her brother, former jockey Freddie, who was left paralysed from the waist down in a riding accident at Kempton in 2016, led the way with her winning performance in the Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Fillies’ Maiden which got proceedings underway.
The twice-raced filly was quite easy to back in the but got the job done for jockey Billy Lee. That’s Not Me set out to make and tried to nick the race by quickening off the bend, but the eventual winner was never worse than second and responded well to pressure to get up late for a deserved maiden victory.
Freddie Tylicki, enjoying his first winner as an owner, was in great spirits after greeting his winner back to the enclosure.
“We’re delighted with this filly. We bought her to have a bit of fun, and to support the family, and it’s worked out brilliantly, so I’m ever so thankful.”
Asked if he was involved in the day-to-day running of the yards, he replied: “I don’t think they need my word really – they fairly know how the ball is rolling - but I do travel over quite a bit and help out wherever I can.
“It’s great to be here today, an they’ve looked after us very well. The ground is perfect for this time of year – they couldn’t have got it any better, really.”
Of the winner, he added: “She’s an improving type of filly. You can see that the penny is just starting to drop with her. She ran a cracker of a race at The Curragh last time out and had come on again for it. There’s still more to come, she’ll grow a little bit more and is bound to come on over the winter, for her three-year-old campaign.”
Johnny Murtagh is enjoying a fine season and he earned the first of two visits to the winner’s enclosure on the day when So Familiar ran out an easy winner of the Celebration Of Racing At Cork Night On October 18 Nursery Handicap.
Ridden by local jockey Denis Linehan, Glantane, the 9-2 chance disputed the lead through the early stages, moved clear from the two pole, and raced to the line still comfortably clear of the staying-on Lady Marengo.
“She had two very good runs recently and was actually beaten by a filly of ours that we like at Naas the last day,” said Linehan. “We were confident coming here today and she proved us right. She has a lot of filling out and strengthening up to do and will be a lovely filly next year.”
Murtagh completed his double when the gambled-on Shore Step made virtually all the running and battled to deny Fuwairt by the narrowest of margins in the 2019 Annual Membership Available Now Handicap.
Backed from 5-1 to 5-2, he was sent to the front from the outset, by Shane Foley, and while he may have been headed for a stride or two by the runner-up, he kept on gamely to justify his heavy support.
The market wasn’t sure what to make of Snowflakes prior to the Buy Online At corkracecourse.ie Maiden, but the sister to former Classic winner Winter and recent debutant winner Frosty, landed the spoils for Aidan O’Brien and jockey Seamie Heffernan.
Fridjtof Nansen set out to make all but succumbed to the persistent challenge of Minnie Haha, before the winner, who drifted in the morning market but was reasonably steady on the show, came over the top of the pair to snatch victory by a neck. Despite the manner of victory, Heffernan admitted: “I always knew I was going to win. She’s a filly we thought a lot of, and she had an injury, so she just got tired the last day at Listowel and I was expecting her to get tired again, so I didn’t want to get there (too soon) and get passed again. I hit the line well. She has a very good pedigree. She was highly tried her first two runs and then she went wrong.”
Heffernan followed up just 35 minutes later, taking the Follow Us On Twitter Handicap aboard the Denis Hogan-trained Stormy Air, who was getting off the mark at the tenth time of asking.
By some considerable margin, the Willie Mullins-trained True Self was the easiest winner on the card. The smart bumper and hurdler boasted the best flat form coming in to the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies’ Maiden and it showed as she coasted clear up the straight to beat nearest rival City Ballerina by nine lengths.
Said winning rider Colin Keane: “It was like a piece of work for her – it was very straightforward. She is a lovely filly and I’d say she could either go up or down in trip. She could improve for the run because she had a little blow. I’d say you’re yet to see the best of her.”
Jake Peter wrapped up proceedings with a fine display in the Buy Online And Save On Admission Tickets Handicap. Trained by Pat Flynn and ridden by Gary Halpin, he was a winner at Tramore on his previous start and more impressive this time as he was switched to make his move inside the final furlong and quickened up nicely to win going away. On this evidence there are more races to be won with him.
