Gowran Park report: Sunset Shiraz belatedly opens her account, Guineas trial next on the agenda

Sunset Shiraz and Gary Carroll win the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Fillies Maiden. Picture: Healy Racing

Hot-pot Sunset Shiraz belatedly opened her account when landing the Irish EBF Median Sires Series 2- Y-0 Fillies Maiden for Gavin Cromwell and Gary Carroll in Gowran Park.

Placed in stakes company four times, including a highly creditable third to Discoveries in the Moyglare, the Time Test filly was sent off at 1/7 and, in front from the start, she lengthened when shaken up by Carroll at the two-furlong marker and steadily drew clear to slam second favourite Princess Azure by six lengths.

“Job done,” declared a relieved Gavin Cromwell. “It’s a relief to get that out of the way. She’s a very straight-forward filly and showed her class out there.

“Gary said she felt as good as any day she has run. She’s a good, hardy, reliable filly. She seems to handle any ground and her pedigree suggests that she’ll stay next year. She has been very consistent all year, in good company. We’ll put here away now and bring her back for a Guineas trial in the spring.”

Cromwell saddled the favourite for both divisions of the BetVictor Casino Handicap and duly completed a double when 3/1 favourite Dutch Schultz, also ridden by Carroll, bolted-up by eight lengths in the finale.

“I was expecting a good run, but not a performance like that,” said Cromwell. “Next port of call for him will be a maiden hurdle somewhere.”

In the first division, Cromwell’s Wolf Prince (5/4 favourite) could only manage fourth place behind the Edward O’Grady-trained 14/1 shot Act Of God (Billy Lee), now set to go back hurdling.

Having shown little in two previous outings, Ballydoyle second-string Sussex, a son of Dubawi, made all to take the two-year-old maiden over a mile, holding the persistent challenge of odds-on favourite Comfort Zone by three-quarters of a length.

The 12/1 was winner was ridden by Wayne Lordan, who said: “He’s improved a bit with each run, had a good draw and I was able to dictate things. He handles that ground, is tough and kept going well.”

Joseph O’Brien supplied a one-two in the Gowran Park Racing Club Fillies maiden, over short of a mile and a half, as Truce (13/2), a 32nd winner of the season for apprentice Mikey Sheehy, stayed on too strongly for stable-companion Happywifehappylife (11/4).

“Mikey said she travelled and quickened-up nicely and kept galloping – she got home better than the last day,” said Brendan Powell, representing the winning trainer. “She’s a grand big filly an should train on.”

Runner-up in a similar-level nursery, over a furlong further, on Monday, when he hung left across the course, Mister Wilson, again ridden by Nathan Crosse, landed the opening BetVictor Nursery in convincing style.

The 3/1 favourite, trained locally by Paul McEnery for his son Billy, forced the pace and stayed on dourly to score by three and three-quarter lengths from Lexi’s Dream.

Denis Hogan’s Dutch Schaefer, who landed a ‘touch’ in Limerick last time, followed-up under Joe Sheridan in the one-mile 45-70 handicap, making all and keeping short-priced favourite Evergreen And Red at bay by a half-length.