Terrific treble sees Keane cut gap in title race
HEAT IS ON: Roaring Fire provides Colin Keane with the middle leg of a fine treble at Naas on Thursday. Picture: Healy Racing
Six-time champion jockey Colin Keane cut Dylan Browne McMonagle’s lead in the title race to five (77-72), thanks to a 30-1 treble in Naas, including a double for Michael O’Callaghan on Luna Mia and Roaring Fire.
The consistent Luna Mia (9-4 favourite) opened her account, at the sixth attempt, in the opening fillies’ maiden, holding off Tornado Kiss by a half-length.
“I’m delighted to see her get her head in front — she’s been threatening all year and I didn’t think it would take this long for her to win,” said O’Callaghan.
“The ground is the key to her. Colin said she had a little bit left and the plan now is to get some black type.”
There was a lot to like about the debut victory of Roaring Fire in the colts’ maiden, the well-backed 7-4 favourite stretching well in the final furlong to beat Ballydoyle colt Savile Row by three and a quarter lengths.
“That was a lovely performance,” said O’Callaghan. “He’s a real sleeper, very laid-back. He could be a nice colt, handles that ground and we’ll find something else for him before the end of the season.”
Keane struck again when Noel Meade’s Coulsty gelding Madbadanddagerous, a promising second his debut in Tipperary, pipped Duke Of Cumberland in the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden.
Keane said: “He’s lovely, big, scopey horse, typical of the type Noel buys, but probably still a fraction weak. He was slow away in Tipperary but ran a lovely race and stepped forward today. I thought he won snug enough.”
Enjoying a tremendous season with his two-year-olds, Aidan O’Brien doubled-up, scoring with Controlled in the Goffs Two Million Series Maiden and Port Ferdinand in the one-mile newcomers’ maiden.
Port Ferdinand, under Ronan Whelan, came from off the pace and, despite hanging left, knuckled down well in the closing stages to nab Bamako Beach close home.
“He jumped a bit slow and Ronan gave him every chance through the race,” commented Chris Armstrong, representing Ballydoyle. “He ground it out well and should develop into a lovely middle-distance horse next year. We might look at the ‘Eyrefield’ for him in Leopardstown — he’d enjoy the longer trip.”
Earlier, Jack Cleary registered his 13th win of the season when providing the first leg of the Ballydoyle double on Controlled, in first-time blinkers.
The No Nay Never gelding showed good speed throughout to score by three lengths from Aegina, prompting Armstrong to state: “He was very green and babyish at the Curragh. The blinkers have made a big difference — he pinged from the gate, set a nice tempo and picked up.”
Blinkered for the first time, on his handicap debut, and revelling in the testing conditions, the Johnny Murtagh-trained Bay Of Supremacy defied top-weight in the five-furlong nursery, making virtually all under Ben Coen to beat Final Melody by almost a length.
Coen completed a double when producing Danny McLoughlin’s Iamimmaculate with a late challenge to foil favourite Ipanema Beach in the one-mile claimer.
The GAIN-sponsored mile nursery also went to Synners Kid, trained by Joseph O’Brien for his sister Ana, who came from mid-division under Wayne Hassett for a length and a half win over Ella’s Gold, with favourite War Saint third.
