'She won really well' - Royal Bay Cen saunters to victory in Cork

Royal Bay Cen and Ben Coen win the Goffs Irish EBF Polonia Stakes (Listed). Pic: Healy Racing Photo.

Royal Bay Cen was the star of the show on Sunday’s eight-race Flat card at Cork, bolting up on her Irish debut in the Goffs Irish EBF Polonia Stakes.

The French recruit was sent off at odds of 15-2 on her first start for Johnny Murtagh and sauntered to a nine-length victory over Quiet Mutiny.

Reflecting on how the race unfolded, winning jockey Ben Coen said: “I thought we went a strong gallop and when I gave her a flick two and a half down, she jumped onto the bridle and I probably got there a shade too soon. She won really well, she’s a very genuine filly.”

Champion jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle marked his return from injury with a double, his first win coming on board even-money favourite Yousaynothingatall in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Fillies Maiden.

“I’m glad to be back, the horses are in great form,” Browne McMonagle said.

Reflecting on Yousaynothingatall’s smooth five-length win, he added: “She’s a filly who is going to get a mile and a half, cut in the ground was a big help to her today and she quite enjoyed making the running. When they got to me at the two-furlong pole and I gave her a flick, she really responded good and quickened well.”

Browne McMonagle employed similar frontrunning tactics on Atomic City in the finale, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden but, while the 1-3 favourite ultimately got the job done, only a head separated the winner and Abbotsford at the line.

“It’d say we probably learned a lot about the horse today,” said winning trainer Joseph O’Brien. “He didn’t love having to make his own running but he was brave in fairness because he had to fight for it. Dylan said he was saving plenty but we think he’s a nice horse and hopefully he can go on from here.”

Londonofficecallin was a surprise winner of the Horse And Jockey Hotel Cork Derby, winning at odds for 40-1 for Gavin Cromwell.

Reflecting on a hard-won success, jockey Robert Whearty said: “He’s a gutsy horse and he toughed it out well there. He was probably a little disappointing at the back end of last year. He needed a little break and he came back a fresher horse and that’s shown there.”

Even-money favourite Edward Thatch got the day off to the best possible start for punters when bolting up in the opening race, the five-furlong Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden.

The Blackbeard colt did too much too early when fading to finish third on debut at the Curragh last month but kept up the gallop all the way to the line this time, winning by five and a half lengths in the hands of Donagh O’Connor.

“He’s a nice horse, we think a lot of him,” trainer Robson De Aguiar said.

“The first day he went a little bit too fast, today he settled well and won comfortably. I’m very happy with what he did today, I’m very happy with his attitude. I think we’ll go to the Marble Hill with him and after that we’ll think about Royal Ascot.”

Pat Flynn is also harbouring Royal Ascot dreams after 9-2 shot Key Witness completed a hat-trick by winning the Book Tickets Online At CorkRacecourse.ie Handicap under jockey Alan Persse.

He said: “I might look for a race at Royal Ascot now and I think he is a seven-furlong horse so we will look at the Buckingham Palace Stakes. I thought the mile was too long for him the last day, so at Ascot it would definitely be too long.

“It would appear he needs easy ground at the moment so fast ground at Ascot would be a concern but we’ll see, and if anyone wants a runner at Royal Ascot, they can find my number. If you wouldn’t buy this horse, what would they buy!”

For his part, Ado McGuinness has Galway on his mind for Johny Soda after the imposing Cotai Glory gelding won the Racing Again Sunday, May 10th Apprentice Handicap by a half-length from Harmani.

“He’s a gorgeous, big horse, he could end up jumping before he’s finished but I think there’ll be another good day in him on the Flat,” McGuinness said.

“He’s a horse who’ll probably end up in Galway, the way he finished there suggests he’ll gallop up the hill really well. That probably will be the aim for him.”

Samurai Mike made a winning debut in the Unquestionable Standing At Rathbarry Stud Maiden, scoring by four and a half lengths at odds of 10-1.

However, trainer Fozzy Stack revealed that the Starspangledbanner gelding, who was ridden to victory here by Seamie Heffernan, won’t be strutting his stuff in Ireland for long.

“He’s been working solid all spring, he’s a nice horse. He’s owned by Mr Chu who lives in Hong Kong and he’s looking for horses to go to Hong Kong so I imagine he’ll end up going there sooner rather than later.”