Tango Flare delivers once more with latest Fairyhouse win
Tango Flare and Luke McAteer (left) win for trainer Pat Foley from Gazelle D'or (right) and Little Queenie. Pic: Healy Racing
Pat Foley’s stable stalwart Tango Flare delivered again in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Race in Fairyhouse.
The seven-year-old gelding won the race in 2023 and 2024, was outpointed by King Cuan last year and, winner of the valuable ‘Bold Lad’ at the Curragh last summer, returned to the winning groove when squeezing through on the inside of Little Queenie and getting up to pip Gazelle D’or by a short head.
The 4/1 shot was ridden by Luke McAteer, who declared: “He’s a real legend. He loves it here and I lost my claim on him here three years ago.
“I thought I was in trouble going to the furlong-pole but we got a lovely run up the inside, he put his head down and just got there.”
Earlier, Ger Lyons registered his sixth win in three days when Ocean’s Breath (Gary Carroll) justified 15/8 favouritism in the Fiver Fridays At Fairyhouse Rated Race.
“It’s nice that he put Naas behind him – it was just one of those things,” said trainer Lyons. “I felt the extra furlong, around a bend, would suit him.
"Gary says he’ll get a mile. And I’m delighted for his owners, Vincent and Geraldine Gaul – they’re local and have been with me a long time.”
Out of luck at Epsom earlier, Aidan O’Brien doubled up with his two runners, Florida Bay and Antigua, both ridden by stable apprentice Jack Cleary.
Odds-on favourite Florida Bay landed the Irish Stallion Farms EBF 2-Y-0 Race, finding plenty to hold Mudryk by a half-length and prompting O’Brien’s representative Chris Armstrong to comment.
“He had a lovely run in Leopardstown and experience is always important here. He found plenty for pressure and will have no problem stepping up to a mile or further. He could go for the Pat Smullen listed race in Naas or the ‘Tyros’ (at Leopardstown).”
The Ballydoyle double was completed when Cleary gave Antigua, in a first-time tongue-tie and blinkers, a well-judged front-running ride to take the Bobbyjo Restaurant Maiden, at the expense of favourite Noble Honour and earning a possible tilt at the Ulster Derby.
Meanwhile, the biggest talking point in Clonmel was an incident at the second flight in the opening Bulmers Original Maiden Hurdle, which saw leader William F Browne (Kieren Buckley) duck left and run out, carrying six of his rivals with him.
The race went to the Declan Queally-trained Dahoma, whose rider Ricky Doyle completed a 44/1 double when Ross O’Sullivan’s Global Skies captured a division of the Bulmers Zero Handicap Hurdle.
The featured Bulmers Strawberry & Lime Hurdle provided Gavin Cromwell’s Thecompanysergeant with a first win since the 2024 Galway Festival, but the 4/11 favourite, ridden by Eoghan Finnegan, had to dig deep to see off outsider Crohan Lady.
Jockey James Smith was stood down after a fall from Rogue Sea and missed out on two winners, with Kevin Sexton successfully deputising on 25/1 shot Holy Joe and Aidan Kelly taking over on Sallap.
