Princess Child and Snapretend deliver for Joseph O'Brien
Joey Sheridan on Princess Child, farside, gets the better of Colin Keane on Faiyum in a photo finish. Pic: Morgan Treacy/Inpho
Soft ground specialists Princess Child and Snapretend bagged the two listed events in Naas as part of a superb across-the-card four-timer for Joseph O’Brien and his Carriganog team.
With stable-jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle set to return to action in Roscommon today, deputising Joey Sheridan continued his superb season with a double, highlighted by Princess Child’s last-gasp victory over front-running favourite Faiyum in the Garnet Stakes.
“I was hopeful after her last run in the Curragh,” explained Sheridan. “The step-up in trip and with the ground in her favour. I followed Faiyum and had a good pace to run at. She ground it out well. I felt in the last hundred yards that I was getting there. I’m not sure what the plan is, but I’m delighted for Janine (owner Janine Byrne).”
Sheridan, who won the opening two-year-old fillies maiden on once-raced Starman filly Formous, described by her rider as “improving and very professional,” partnered short-priced favourite Beset in the later Blubell Stakes, but the 11/10 shot, struggling on the home turn, stayed on but failed to collar 25/1 stable-companion Snapretend, enterprisingly ridden by Jamie Powell, who received a two-day whip ban.
The Make Believe filly prevailed by a half-length, prompting Powell to comment: “She was very tough and hit the line well. She was lugging out to the right a bit. She’d be better going right-handed. But she’s very genuine and loves that soft ground.”
Three-year-old handicap debutant Abbotsford (14/1), trained for Juddmonte by Dermot Weld and ridden by Colin Keane, landed the €100,000 Colm White Bookmaker Beggar’s End Handicap, staying on stoutly to outpoint Noel Mea’e's pair Madbadanddangerous and Sir Jeremy.
“He’s a lovely, big, progressive staying horse and that was a good performance,” said Weld. “He ran a good race in Bellewstown – that was a mile and a half and he was coming back at the line against Magnum Cor.”
He was stepping up in trip today, which was going to play his strengths. And I quietly fancied him.” “He’s progressing nicely and I’ll talk to Barry (Mahon) and the family about plans for him.”
The biggest ‘pot’ on offer, for the €120,000 Irish EBF Auction Series Race Final, went, for the third time, to Jessica Harrington as course and distance maiden winner Diamonds And Dreams (Shane Foley) powered clear up the hill to slam Banks Of The Boyne by six lengths, to the delight of the members of the enthusiastic ‘It’s All About The Girls’ Syndicate.
Harrington stated: “She’s a nice filly and that was very good – she quickened better than anything. We’ll put her away now and might look at a trial in the spring – she stays seven furlongs well.”
Back from their Dewhurst exploits with Darkness Falls, Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore combined to win the Tifrums 2-Y-0 Maiden with Bengal Tiger, who made all to justify 2/9 favouritism by a whopping twelve lengths from 66/1 shot One. Flash.
“He has jumped forward from each run and Ryan really liked him,” said O’Brien. “He’ll be lovely for next year and might get a mile.”
And Vanir, positively-ridden, landed the concluding SIS Fillies Handicap for Johnny Murtagh and Ben Coen, who won the ‘Birdcatcher’ with Pink Venom on Saturday, proving too strong for last year’s winner Speckled Meadow.
“She’s a big, strong galloper and was a bit unlucky in Down Royal,” commented Murtagh. “Ben says she has a big engine and I hope Maurice (Regan, of Newtown Anner) keeps her in training – she’ll make a nice four-year-old.”
Joseph O’Brien’s day had started on a high when hurdling debutant and Atomic City and 4/5 favourite got up, under hands and heels riding by Mark Walsh, to foil Step By Step by a half-length in the Cork opener, the Co-Op Superstores 3-Y-0 Maiden Hurdle.
“He tends to be keen, but he settled great and jumped great,” said Walsh. “He’s forward-going but seemed to enjoy himself and should progress from this.”
Far from Final Order’s superb victory in the Velka Pardubicka in the Czech Republic, Gavin Cromwell took the opening race in the ‘Academy’ series as Plumton Queen (Kevin Sexton) turned over odds-on favourite World Of The Way.
Henry de Bromhead, trainer of the runner-up, enjoyed better luck later when providing a 1-2 in the featured Co-Op Superstores Handicap Chase, the Harry Cobden-ridden Birdie Or Bust holding off top-weight Jaska Des Dames.
Backed into 11/8 favourite, Let Him B bolted up by thirteen lengths for Charles and Philip Byrnes in the Kendellen Construction Handicap Hurdle while the Emmet Mullins-trained Minella Emperor, winner of the bumper on this card last year and ridden again by his owner Michael O’Neill, ran out a convincing winner of the three-mile, three-runner Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Hurdle.
