O'Brien supplies spectacular 1-2-3 in Galway

Beset and Declan McDonogh win for trainer Joseph O'Brien. Pic: Healy Racing

Less than 24 hours after bagging a big ‘pot’ with Citrus Springs over in Kentucky Downs, Joseph O’Brien supplied a spectacular 1-2-3, spearheaded by 2/1 favourite Beset, in the listed Ardilaun Hotel Irish EBF Oyster Stakes, traditional feature of Galway’s September meeting.

Owned by a syndicate which includes Nick Luck and Kevin Blake, the five-year-old mare relished the testing conditions and, having tracked the leaders, pounced on the home turn before staying on stoutly up the hill for Declan McDonogh to beat Chablis Rock by three and a quarter lengths, with Galileo Dame in third.

“It’s a great training performance, coming back after a break, after such a dry summer,” stated McDonogh. “She popped, relaxed and went to sleep and, when I asked her, she picked up really well.

“I’ve been lucky on her and it’s good to see her back. Hopefully, she’ll have a good autumn.” 

And joint-owner Kevin Blake added: “She has been brilliant and we’ve been very patient, waiting for soft ground. We’re still working her out, but we’re hoping for a big autumn with her. 

"The plan is to go for the Prix Royallieu (Group 1), over a mile and six, in Longchamp on the Saturday of Arc weekend. After that, we might look at Champions Day in Ascot and a Group 1 in Germany in November.”

A beaten odds-on favourite in an optional claimer at Navan last time and apparently held early in the final furlong here, Leadlight lunged late to deny 4/7 shot City Of Gold in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF 2-Y-0 Maiden over an extended mile, sparking a double for Joseph O’Brien and Declan McDonogh.

The rider said: “He’s maturing with racing and learned a lot in Navan. I had to use him a bit starting up the hill, but he has loads of stamina and was good in the last hundred yards. He had more in the locker and should be a nice three-year-old.” 

Described by his rider Gary Carroll as “a legend of a horse”, six-year-old Lord Massusus returned to winning ways when forging clear to beat Lady Arwen by four lengths in the Donnellys Of Barna Rated Race, the gelding’s eighth success and his first since landing the listed Heritage Stakes, when rated 107,19lb higher than his current mark, in April of last year.

Philosophical trainer Joe Murphy commented: “When you have racehorses, you have to learn how to forgive them and, when they have their day, it’s like the phoenix rising.

“He’s not ungenuine, but is probably gone a bit clever and the blinkers sharpened him up. He’s in at the Curragh on Sunday (in the ‘Northfields’) and, if he’s okay, he’ll go there, with his penalty.” 

The John O’Donoghue-trained Mary Doll (Rory Mulligan) overcame a wide draw when proving a shock winner of the Irish EBF Maidan Sires Series 2-Y-0 Fillies maiden, mastering Lunar Empress at the furlong-pole before holding her rival’s persistent challenge by a neck.

“She had the experience of schooling around Dundalk and a lovely trial in Leopardstown,” explained the winning trainer. “We knew she’d handle soft ground and would stay all day, so we were hoping for a good run. She did it very nicely and has the scope to improve. She looks a ten-furlong type for next season.” 

Apprentice Rory Mulligan completed an unlikely 1,272/1 double when Bang Po swooped down the outside to land the Racing In The City Of Tribes Handicap at the expense of the flattering Imperial Dream, a welcome winner for his trainer Liam McAteer.

Dermot Weld won the concluding fillies maiden for the third time in five years when Zadawa, in the Aga Khan colours, and tackling a mile and a half for the first time, scored convincingly by eight lengths under Chris Hayes.

Reese Holohan notched his sixteenth winner of the season (five behind Sam Coen) when producing Paddy Magee’s Listowel-bound Coulsty’s Way with a well-timed late challenge to deny Canon Law in the BOYLE Sports Apprentice Handicap.

Former international footballer and well-established breeder Kevin Doyle had his first win as an owner when Aquilla Star, ridden for John McConnell by Siobhan Rutledge, bolted up in the James P Cunningham Electrical Handicap, opening her account at the ninth attempt and bouncing back from two disappointing, if slightly unlucky, runs at the festival here.