Green Carrera maintains Browne McMonagle's title momentum
GREEN FOR GO: Green Carrera and Dylan Browne McMonagle win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies’ Maiden at Thules on Thursday. Picture: Healy Racing
Racing returned to Thurles following the shock news that it was set to close for good and the track, temporarily under the management of Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), looked well as it hosted a seven-race Flat programme.
For the on-course action, it was business as usual as Joseph O’Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle were amongst the winners once again, as were Willie Mullins, Dermot Weld, and Andy Slattery.
Joseph O’Brien saddled four of the nine runners in the opener, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies’ Maiden, and it was the market’s most fancied of the quarter, Green Carrera, who came out on top to give the trainer his seventh winner of the month to date.
Carrying the colours of Isaac Souede and Simon Munir, the filly had a real buckle with market leader Cape Primrose, and she found that bit extra to give Dylan Browne McMonagle another important winner in his jockeys’ championship quest.
“She shaped well first time,” said stable representative Kevin Blake. “You always hope they’ll come forward, and she stepped forward really well and battled hard. The double green has had a great year with Joseph, and this is another one, so it’s great.”
With a word for the winning rider, Blake added: “He’s motoring, and he’s just got to keep the revs up, keep doing what he’s doing. Colin’s not going to lie down, we know that, but Dylan is working really hard and riding very well.”
That extension of his lead at the top of the jockeys’ table lasted just a couple of hours until champion and nearest pursuer Colin Keane, teaming up with Willie Mullins, took the Horse & Jockey Maiden with Sorrentino. Patiently ridden, the easy-to-back 7-4 chance moved up rapidly on the turn for home and quickly asserted to put eight and a half lengths between himself and well-backed favourite Dream On Baby.
Dermot Weld, Chris Hayes, and owners Moyglare Stud Farm combined to take the Killinan Handicap with the always talented but previously frustrating Truth Be Told. This well-deserved breakthrough required a patient and well-timed ride, and the race, with Angelo Pio and Lady Plimsoll going toe to toe from two out, allowed for that.
After two fourth-placed finishes, one of which was in a listed race won by subsequent Group 1 winner Diamond Necklace, Eddie and Patrick Harty’s Killashee Warrior made the most of the drop back to maiden company to get off the mark in the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden.
The grey Saxon Warrior filly travelled well and had matters in hand long before she hit the line in front, to give Jamie Powell his first winner since losing his claim.
“You can see her walking away there, she’s a three-year-old in the making, so she hasn’t really had the gun put to her head this year,” said Eddie Harty. “She had a lovely run first time out, and most of the owners were over from England so we decided to let her have a crack at the listed Ingabelle Stakes at Leopardstown at the Champions Festival.
“I’d have been happy had she been fifth or sixth, but she flew and she has done what she should have done here today. I wouldn’t say she’d be in love with Thurles. It’s not the ground — everything is lovely — but it’s just a bit trappy. She’s done it now, she’s earned her break, and we’ll see what next year brings.”
Harty, whose juvenile Arugam Bay won a listed race earlier in the season and who sent out three-year-old Carla Ridge to win a listed race by 10 lengths last weekend at the Curragh, added: “We have a nice bunch at the moment, thank God. You could go years without having a nice two-year-old and now we have a couple of them. That’s 10 winners on the Flat — one in Newmarket — and when you’ve only got 20 of them, that’s good.
“I’d be happy if we could grow it a bit and hopefully with Patrick on board, we’ll be able to do that.”
It’s hard to keep Andy Slattery out of the winner’s enclosure and stable and handicap debutant Queen Aethelflaed, formerly with the late Edward O’Grady, added to the trainer’s tally by taking the Boyle Sports Supporting Irish Racing Handicap under a well-judged ride by Joey Sheridan, who is also having the best season of his career to date.
The lightly raced Tickling put a first win on her card by taking the Welcome Back To Thurles Handicap. Trained locally by Mark Molloy, the diminutive three-year-old settled nicely in midfield, moved up in the straight, and stayed on strongly to score under Killian Leonard.
Harry Rogers has had a fine season and the versatile Grann’s Boy, who was a winner over hurdles at the Listowel Harvest Festival, got up in the final strides to land the spoils under jockey Adam Caffrey.
