Magical Hope wins the Group 3 Darley Munster Oaks
CORK: Magical Hope and Colin Keane win for owners Steven Weston, Ballylinch Stud, Paul Shanahan and Patrick John O'Brien and trainer Paddy Twomey. Pic: Healy Racing
Paddy Twomey saddled two leading fancies in the Group 3 Darley Munster Oaks, the feature on Friday’s card in Mallow, and it was Magical Hope who gave the trainer his third win in the last four renewals of the race.
Colin Keane was on board the former French-based four-year-old and gave the 3-1 chance a positive ride. Kicking from the front just after turning for home, she soon had the remainer of the field in trouble, and won with a nice bit in hand, confirming French form with Lemsairbat, who is now with Joseph O’Brien.
It was just a second run in Ireland for the filly, and though she brought plenty of experience from her native France, she is the type who could advance to better company.
The winner’s stablemate, Bubble Gum, was caught behind the pace and shuffled back in the early stages, but failed to pick up with the opportunity final came.
Victory was the completion of a double for Keane, who took the opening race, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies’ Maiden aboard the Ger Lyons-trained Suzie Songs. Bred for further, the Moyglare Stud filly had to show a smart turn of pace to get up late to deny Havana Anna, the pair impressively clear of the promising Skydance.
“We're one of the lucky stables in the country that we get well bred horses sent to us from Juddmonte, Moyglare, and people like that,” said Lyons. “She’s been a queen, and she's been ready for a while, but we just took our time with the fillies this year.
“She's a lovely filly and did what we've seen at home and there should be plenty of improvement. She wants seven, as you can see with the pedigree, but I wanted to start her at six. The few I have at home; I want to start them at six. I’ve been patient, so hopefully it starts rewarding because the last couple of weeks have been frustrating, to say the least.”
The admirably consistent Fort Vega, trained by Sheila Lavery, gained reward for his consistency by taking the €100,000 Mallow Handicap under Rory Cleary. Ridden patiently, initially, the five-year-old, who missed most of last season, came through strongly to win a shade cosily.
Said the winning rider: “His last two runs were very good, and the trip and conditions suited him today, and I was very lucky to get the ride on him. He’s a true seven-furlong horse, and it was a lovely race to ride today. There were nice even fractions and he got a smooth run through, and did it well going to the line.”
Andy Slattery has lofty ambitions for Powerful Nation, and understandably so after the three-year-old ran out an easy winner of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Midsummer Sprint Stakes under the trainer’s son, Andy.
“We knew he’d come on for his run at Naas,” said Slattery senior. “He hit the front a long way out, and he doesn’t like that. He idles in front, and I think he’ll improve again from today.
“I have a few races picked out for him. He’ll go for the Sapphire Stakes next, leading towards the Flying Five, and then the Prix de l’Abbaye, provided everything works out.”
Elsewhere on the card, Shay Wallace rode his first winner on the turf, doing so aboard the Jimmy Barcoe-trained Nouvel Espoir, while Danny Murphy’s Kilmood Susan proved far too good for her rivals in the five-furlong maiden.
Refreshment, ridden by Gavin Ryan, completed an across-the-cards double for trainer Mark Fahey, adding to the earlier success of I Bid You Ajou at Fairyhouse. The former was completing back-to-back winner, while the latter was winning for the third time in little more than a fortnight.
