Duckadilly delivers birthday joy for McCullagh in Leopardstown
Duckadilly and Scott McCullagh win for trainer Danny McLoughlin Pic: Healy Racing
Duckadilly gave young Curragh trainer Danny McLoughlin his first Group-race success and rider Scott McCullagh a 27th birthday present when landing the Group 3 Xin Gin Irish EBF Brownstown Stakes in Leopardstown.
The five-year-old mare, a listed winner at Navan already this season, fought off favourite Phenomenal Filly by a half-length with 83-rated Nancy J earning valuable black type in third spot.
“It’s brilliant – she was my first winner as a trainer, my first stakes winner and, now, my first Group 3 winner,” stated a delighted McLoughlin, “And it’s great for Scott, one of my best friends.
"Chris (owner Chris Mullins) was my first owner, and took a chance on this filly, so it’s great to win a Group 3 for him.
“She was fourth in this race last year, but it was only in the ‘Matron’ that we learned how to ride her. She needs a fast pace and gets a mile well but, when she gets there, she doesn’t do a whole lot.
“She deserves another crack at the (Group 1) ‘Matron’ (at Leopardstown in September). We’ll give her ten days off now and give her one run before coming back here.”
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Three-year-old handicap debutant Thread Of Gold, trained for Team Valor by Willie Mullins, landed the €100,000 Double First Stables Nasrullah Stakes, beating top-weight Diego E Queso and favourite Jamestown.
The winner, a Ghaiyyath gelding, having only his fourth run, was ridden by Wayne Lordan, who explained, “He’s a long-striding horse and I just let him find his feet to. Come home well. And he did it well.
“He rides a little bit babyish, so there should be plenty of improvement to come. He strikes me as a progressive horse and he should be capable of getting a mile and a half later in the season.”
Having watched 13/8 favourite Maire Rua, a full-sister to Red Letter and Res Ipsa, make an impressive debut in the two-year-old fillies maiden, Ger Lyons commented, “As Colin says, if we have a good one, it’s her.” The grey Frankel filly showed signs of inexperience nut quickened well to beat another well-touted debutante Bellesque by two and a half lengths.
And Lyons added, “It was her first day away, from a bad draw. She’s taking a good blow and there should be plenty of improvement in her.
“There’s a nice listed race in Cork for her on August 14. And, for us, the ultimate dream is to win the ‘Moyglare’ – so that’ll be the plan, all going well.”
Lyons and Keane (now at the top of the Jockeys Championship with 44 winners) doubled-up when Watch Tower got off the mark, at the sixth attempt, by taking the BoyleSports 3-Y-0 Handicap at the expense of top-weight Invincible Will.
“He’s just maturing into himself and has been promising to do that,” said Lyons, “He needs fast ground and seven furlongs or a mile is a good trip for him.”
In-form Ben Coen recorded his 32nd success of the season when landing the Harry Meighan Memorial Handicap on the Denise Foster-trained, nine-race maiden Frank Pickle.
And owner-trainer Peter Lawlor confirmed, “He’s heading back to Galway and we’ll probably stick to a hurdle with him,” after Mourat (Harry Swan) made all and turned over odds-on favourite Delta in the concluding amateur race.
