Light As Air an emphatic winner in Naas handicap
Wayne Lordan on Light as Air wins The Colm White Bookmaker Beggar’s End Handicap. Pic: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
The Aidan O’Brien-trained three-year-old Light As Air, tackling two miles for the first time, bagged the €100,000 Colm White Bookmaker Beggar’s End Handicap in Naas, forging clear under Wayne Lordan, to beat longshot Vischio emphatically.
After O’Brien had attempted to switch Lordan on to second reserve Saratoga (sent off 2/1 favourite, finished fifth, under Jack Cleary), a request denied by the Stewards, Light As Air hit the front before the furlong-pole before asserting.
“He was unlucky in Leopardstown,” said O’Brien, “He got the trip well. Wayne said he has class going that distance and that he quickened well.
“The other horse (Saratoga) ran well – he’s still a bit of a baby. There a two-mile Group 3 (the Loughbrown Stakes) at the Curragh, on the last day of the season, that might suit both horses.”
Winner of a Killarney maiden on Monday, the Gary Carroll-trained Alphecca landed the €120,000 Irish EBF Auction Series 2-Y-0 Race Final for trainer Joe Murphy and owner-breeder Ger Kervick.
The Sioux Nation filly mastered Celestial Siren in the closing stages to triumph by a length and a half, prompting Carroll to comment, “It’s a lovely pot to win. She’s Ger’s first home-bred, so it’s great for him.”
“The lads took a chance running her back so soon after Killarney, but it has paid dividends. She did everything right and got to the line strong. I’d say a mile is probably her trip. And I think she can get black type next year.”
Both listed events on the card produced shocks, with Johnny Murtagh savouring the victory of vastly-improved 33/1 shot Onemoredance in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Garnet Stakes, second leg of a double for the trainer and stable-jockey Ben Coen.
Onemoredance, owned by a syndicate headed by Dublin footballer Ciaran Kilkenny, foiled Smiling by a half-length, with Soft Winds a close third.
It was a fifth success for the King Of Change filly, who started winning off a mark of 58 back in April and won here with an official rating of 91.
“I can’t say enough about her,” stated Murtagh, “She was tricky at the start but has improved so much through the year. Ben rode her beautifully and got a lovely run through. And she quickened well.
“Ciaran and the lads are having great fun with her. She’s tough and hardy and loves her racing. She’s going to the December Mares Sale.”
Earlier, Murtagh and Coen had struck with Chicago Hope in the Tifrums Irish EBF 2-Y-0 Maiden, the trainer explaining, “He’s in the Newmarket Sales, but has probably earned a reprieve. He should make a nice little sprinter next year.”
Jessica Harrington, who bagged a Group 1 in Longchamp last Sunday, took the listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Bluebell Stakes with 22/1 shot Fleur De Chine, in first-time blinkers and an 83rd winner of the season for Colin Keane, now seven behind Dylan Browne McMonagle in the title race.
“She hasn’t had her ground all year but ran better, stepped up in trip, in Gowran the last day, in heavy ground,” said Harrington, “Colin gave her a lovely cool ride. And she might go for the Finale Stakes, over a mile and a half, at the Curragh.”
The Donnacha O’Brien-trained Josh’s Joy (5/4) favourite) made it fourth-time-lucky when outpointing market rival Institute in the two-year-old fillies maiden while Wayne Hassett moved to within two of Robert Whearty in the race for the Apprentice Championship thanks to his success on Do Browne’s Speckled Meadow in the finale.
