DANNY SHEEHY has impressed may shrewd observers this season, and the former pony racing champion recorded his first double at the very rewarding odds of 1,406/1 when successful aboard longshots Accladora and Bert Leaf.
66/1 winners are about as rare as hens’ teeth but Accladora appreciated the step up in trip to cause a real shock in the opening Awards And Gifts Claiming Maiden. The Acclamation filly, who races in the colours of trainer Tom McCourt’s wife Pauline, was patiently ridden to lead well inside the final furlong for a three-quarters of a length verdict over Hit The Silk. There were no claims for any of the 11 runners.
McCourt said: “I always thought she was better than what she was running, and probably stayed sprinting with her too long. The owner got fed up so I leased her myself. She always worked well and I’d say she was getting sick of sprinting. Up in trip and dropping her out has suited.”
The 17-year-old apprentice brought his career tally to 18 on the track when getting a dream run up the inner on Bert Leaf (20/1) in division two of the Eva-Tec Ltd Handicap. The Seamus Fahey-trained mare showed no ill effects of over 10 months on the sidelines when keeping on under pressure to beat Hard Times by half a length.
Fahey said: “She had some good form last year but it tapered off towards the end of the year and we probably kept her on the go a little bit too long. She’s owned by Robbie Smithers’ grandparents (Peter and Marie Davis) but Robbie couldn’t do the weight. She was basically bought for him to ride.
“We’ll look for something similar and she likes a little dig in the ground. She missed the break and Danny was lucky that the gaps came up the inside. She may go on and jump a hurdle.”
QUICK TURNAROUND
On The Go Again made it two wins in the space of 48 hours when taking the featured Drogheda Traders Plate Handicap. Successful on heavy ground at Roscommon on Monday, Gary Carroll was again in the saddle as the 11/2 chance gamely stuck his head out to hold off Thunder Crash by a short-head.
Mick Mulvany, who trains the four-year-old for his father Larry, commented: “As I said the other night, the Lartigue Hurdle has been the plan for a while but it’s nice to pick up those flat races along the way. I just let him out in the paddock yesterday morning and he was in such good form bucking and squealing that I said I’d let him take his chance again.
“He’s a good honest genuine horse and hopefully he’ll keep sound. The ground doesn’t make any difference to him.”
The most impressive winner of the evening was undoubtedly Abamanova in the Collierstown Maiden. The Camacho filly made all under Billy Lee in this five-furlong event, and the evens favourite was well on top inside the final furlong to beat Daliyah by four lengths.
The Britesavers Limited-owned juvenile is trained by Willie McCreery who said, “That’s a smart filly and she’s improved physically unbelievable in the last two months. She’s starting to strengthen up and look like her daddy a little bit. We’ll keep her sprinting and she could go to Ayr for the (Group 3) Firth Of Clyde Stakes.”
Declan McDonogh was another rider to record a double on the evening when landing the spoils on both Haqeeba and High Expectations.
Haqeeba, trained by Liam Lennon for Maurice McCavitt, also showed her rivals a clean pair of heels in the Holcroft Peugeot Drogheda 40th Anniversary Handicap. The 10/1 (from 14/1) chance kept on really well in the closing stages to beat Olaudah by two and a half lengths. McDonogh said: “Liam was hopeful and said to ride her as I find her. She enjoys being handy. I went straight from my draw and she liked being on her own. She kept at it well.”
High Expectations (7/2 jtfav) recorded his third win this summer when staying on strongly inside the final furlong to beat Hague Convention by two and three-quarter lengths in the Lougher Stables Handicap, and trainer Gordon Elliott is considering a quick reappearance saying, “he’s in Navan on Saturday and we might run him again. I’m delighted for Martin (Wasylocha, owner) as he’s been with me from the start. He’s from Collon so this is his local track.”
Colin Keane moved four ahead (63-59) of Pat Smullen at the head of the flat jockeys championship when the Sean Jones-owned Poetic Light landed the Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Maiden. The Ger Lyons-trained 7/4 favourite made virtually all and was in control in the straight to beat Maunganui by a length and three-quarters.
Lyons’ brother and assistant Shane said: “He’s still a very immature horse and shied away at the road. He was looking all around him going down to the start. He’s definitely a horse for next year and needs to strengthen up and learn how to race. He’s a nice horse at home but when he comes to the races it feels like he’s having his first day out.”
Mohayyen (12/1) kept up a good recent spell for trainer Conor O’Dwyer when taking division one of the Eva-Tec Ltd Handicap. Owned by Bahrain native Khaled A Rahim, the lightly-raced five-year-old gelding was driven out by Killian Leonard to hold off Indian Tomahawk by half a length.
O’Dwyer said, “He ran a cracker in Dundalk last time in a far better race. He loves that bit of ground and I’d say a mile and two is absolutely ideal but when races aren’t there you have to take what you get into. He wouldn’t want it any worse than that (good, good to yielding in places), so Dundalk is ideal and he has a good mark there.”
ACTING STEWARDS:
L. McFerran, W. Flood, J.R. Craigie, J. Collins, P.D. Matthews.
HORSE TO FOLLOW:
ABAMANOVA (W. McCreery): She showed plenty of pace to land the juvenile sprint maiden in fine style, and looks another nice prospect for her trainer.