Joy for Feane as Vera’s Secret makes all at Leopardstown
COURSE SPECIALIST: Vera's Secret and Seamie Heffernan win the Group 3 Xin Gin Irish EBF Brownstown Stakes at Leopardstown on Thursday night. Picture: Healy Racing
Vera’s Secret retained her unbeaten record around Leopardstown and registered her second Group 3 success when making all to take Thursday night’s Xin Gin Irish EBF Brownstown Stakes.
Ridden by Seamus Heffernan, the six-year-old mare bounced from the stalls, made the running pressed by Colin Keane on Chantez and, having shaken off that rival approaching the furlong-pole, stayed on to hold the flying late surge of Dance Night Annday by a neck.
“It’s lovely to win another Group 3 with her,” said Johnny Feane. “She likes it around here and has an entry in the Matron back here in September. I must talk to the owners, but that would be the dream.
“She did a lot of running out there. Chantez pressed her and they went a good pace. Seamie said she was idling in front and knows where the winning-post is. She’s a lightly-raced mare and getting more professional all the time.”
Slieve Binnian is bound for Ballybrit, for the Colm Quinn BMW Galway Mile, following his victory in the €100,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Nasrullah Handicap, completing back-to-back premier handicap victories.
Formerly trained by the now retired Michael Halford and winner of the Dubai Duty Free Derby Festival Handicap last time, the Luke McAteer-ridden five-year-old mastered favourite Mississippi River before holding Booyea by a length and three-quarters.
“That’s brilliant,” declared delighted trainer David Marnane. “He’s such an uncomplicated horse and is in the form of his life. I though he won snug enough in the Curragh and it’s not often you win two €100,000 handicaps one after another.
“He idled in front the last day, so we rode him to come home and Luke gave him a great ride. And it was a good bit of placing by Ed (his brother). We thought this was his trip and Galway should suit him — he has gate speed, stays well and handles an ease in the ground. So that’s where he’s heading next.”
The Paddy Twomey-trained Phenomenal Filly put her experience to good use when making all under Billy Lee to take the opening two-year-old fillies' maiden at the expense of debutantes Thenandnow and Amelia Earhart.
Lee was able to boss things from the front and brought his mount home a length and a quarter in front, prompting Twomey to comment: “She was very green at the Curragh and came forward well. She’s a nice filly and gets the (Goffs) bonus tonight, which is great. She’s in the Lowther, but she qualifies for the Goffs Million and that would look a good fit for her.”
Twomey, Lee, and Bond Thoroughbred Limited were denied a double when odds-on favourite Bonus Time, bought for £320,000 out of Cromwell’s after her Curragh maiden success, attempted to make all in the Boylesports ‘Pick Your Place’ 3-Y-0 Handicap but was collared late by Andy Oliver’s Sounds Like A Plan and Chris Hayes.
“He’s a fast horse and the race went to plan — Chris gave him a lovely ride,” commented Oliver. “His Naas run was a bit of a puzzle — maybe he bounced. But we knew he was in fair shape coming here. And this opens plenty of options for him.”
Hotpot of the night A Piece Of Heaven (2-5 favourite), off the track for 284 days, came unstuck in the finale, the Hurling For Cancer Research On 18th August (Amateur) Race, finishing a well-beaten third behind Henry de Bromhead’s all-the-way scorer Gentleman Joe, whose rider John Gleeson commented: “It was very straight-forward. He’s a grand, honest horse and enjoyed being in front.”
