Havana Anna repeats Naas success
NAAS FILLY: Havana Anna and Gavin Ryan win the Arqana Irish EBF Marwell Stakes at Naas on Wednesday night. Picture: Healy Racing
A six-length winner of her maiden over course and distance last time, the Donnacha O’Brien-trained Havana Anna followed-up when registering a clearcut victory in the listed Arqana Irish EBF Marwell Stakes in Naas.
Ridden by Gavin Ryan, the 6-4 favourite tracked a strong pace set by market rival Cardiff By The Sea before edging ahead a furlong and a half from home and drawing clear to beat Ipanema Queen by three and a half lengths.
“She’s a smart filly and took the step-up in class well,” stated O’Brien.
“She’s straight-forward and has loads of pace and, although she leans left under pressure, it doesn’t stop her going forward.
“We’ll have to look at the top five and six-furlong races with her now. She’s in the Lowther. I’d like to think she can develop into a Cheveley Park filly and we can work back from there.”
O’Brien and stable jockey Ryan completed a double when Irish 2,000 Guineas fifth Comanche Brave justified 4-7 favouritism in the VEI Global Race, coming from off the pace to beat Bravais by three-quarters of a length.
“That should give him a bit of confidence,” said O’Brien. “Gavin gave him a lovely ride and feels he’d have no problem dropping back to six furlongs. But, for now, the plan is to go for the Platinum (seven furlongs) in Cork in a few weeks.”
On his first visit to Naas, Tom Marquand landed the other listed prize on the card, the Yeomanstown Stud Irish EBF Stakes on board 11-10 favourite Sky Majesty, another Irish stakes-race winner for trainer William Haggas.
Under a 7lb penalty, for her Group success last year, the Blue Point filly triumphed by three-quarters of a length after a protracted duel with Carla Ridge.
Marquand said: “She’s a lovely filly and it was worth travelling over. We didn’t go over-hard early, which didn’t really suit her, but the stiff finish and ease in the ground helped. She was strong through the last furlong. The key to her is the ground.
“She has won in a better grade and it’s nice to get her head in front again. I’m sure she’ll step-up again now with this win under her belt.”
The Fozzy Stack-trained newcomer Red Earth, a No Nay Never colt, ridden by Seamsi Heffernan, prevailed narrowly over Krasimir in the two-year-old maiden and will be aimed at the Goffs Million.
Earlier, Henry de Bromhead declared it “a brilliant day’, having saddled a sparkling 34-1 treble in Wexford, two of his winners ridden by the season’s leading rider Darragh O’Keeffe.
On her second start over fences, Ma Belle Etoile took the Wexford Town Mares Beginners under O’Keeffe, who said: “She travelled a lot better than in Tramore and felt like a different mare. She got a bit idle in front, but won nicely.”
Having his first ride for the trainer, Paddy O’Brien delivered the second leg of De Bromhead’s treble on board top-weight and 5-2 favourite Wonleg in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Chase.
Wonleg will head for Tramore, also the plan for Nouvotic who, as second leg of O’Keeffe’s double, dug deep to master Palamon in the www.wexfordraces.ie Beginners Chase.
You Oughta Know and the De Bromhead-trained Le Coq Hardi dominated the market for the Forth Mountain Trails Beginners Chase but failed to cope with the Ray Cody-trained 22/1 shot War Correspondent, a first winner since turning professional for 7lb claimer Paddy Cody.
And Gavin Brouder received a two-day whip ban following his success on the remarkably consistent, Mick Winters-trained Crowsatedappletart in the Wexford racecourse Supporters Club Handicap Chase.
