Declaree finally gets her day with Dundalk success

VICTORIOUS AT LAST:  Declaree and Danny Sheehy win for trainer Johnny Murtagh. Picture: Healy Racing

The Johnny Murtagh-trained Declaree belatedly opened her account and earned valuable a winning bracket when justifying 4-7 favouritism in the seven-furlong Follow Us On Social Media Maiden in Dundalk.

Danny Sheehy dictated the pace on the Fastnet Rock filly, an eight-race maiden. And she picked up in good style up the straight to stretch four and a quarter lengths clear of market rival Authenticate.

“It was very straightforward,” stated Sheehy. “She travelled lovely and picked up. She was entitled to win her maiden and handled the surface well. The headgear definitely helps her.” 

Another filly to get off the mark at the ninth attempt was the Kieran Cotter-trained Mags, who dug dep for Shane Foley to foil 6-5 favourite and long-time leader Nakasero by a short-head in the one-mile three-year-old handicap.

The leading pair got involved in a prolonged battle with Foley and Ronan Whelan, successful in the finale on the Diego Dias-trained The World’s Astage, seen at their strongest.

“The mile turned out to be ideal for her,” said Cotter, “And Shane feels she’ll have no problem going a mile and a quarter next season. It’s a relief that she got her head in front, a good way to finish her season. She’s big and raw and I’m looking forward to her next season.”

Trainer Pat Flynn stated: “She’s a nice, well-related filly and she might win another,” after Billy Lee guided Shaaden (backed into 3-1), in the colours of Glen Norris, to a half-length win in the seven-furlong 47-65 handicap.

“The ground was too soft for her in the Curragh the last day and this surface suited her. She missed the break, but Billy gave her a lovely ride, allowing her creep into it and she kept going well.”

Lee completed a double when getting Conor O’Dwyer’s great servant Barretstown home a narrow winner of the first division of the 47-65 handicap.

“He’s some little horse,” declared O’Dwyer. “He’s so reliable and Billy knows him so well and was brilliant on him again. He’s no star and is a clever enough little fellow, so we won’t overdo it with him.

“He’s best fresh, so we might come back here once before Christmas, then once in February and have him ready for the grass.” 

Luke McAteer gave David Marnane’s progressive Iffraaj gelding Tomarlo a confident ride to justify 11-4 favouritism in the six-furlong nursery, coming from well off the pace to outpoint Vanilla Baby.

Marnane explained: “He’s had a mixed-up season — we gelded him and his trainer was running him over the wrong trip. But he could end up being a nice horse. He might come back for another nursery here in two weeks.”