JOCKEY Wayne Lordan completed a double at Limerick on Saturday on a day when there were 22/1, 33/1 and 50/1 winners, with apprentice Wesley Joyce riding his first winner at his local track.
Breeders’ Cup-winning jockey Lordan steered 22/1 shot Cape Islay, owned by the Pillar2Post Partnership, to win the Limerick Racecourse Handicap, proving last season’s all-conquering jumps trainer Henry de Bromhead with a first Irish flat winner this season.
Lismore had provided de Bromhead with Group 3 success in the Henry II Stakes at Sandown on May 27th. Following Cape Islay’s win, Lordan stated: “She has been running well without winning and has hit the cross-bar a few times. She was bouncing going out today and Henry said he felt she was in good shape.”
Second success
Lordan doubled his score when winning the concluding Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden with the Aidan O’Brien-trained, Galileo-sired Exuma (7/2, in the colours of Mrs John Magnier).
Lordan reported: “He was very straightforward, he had good runs in maidens and showed again today he is consistent. He likes that good ground and it was too soft for him the last day at Gowran.
“He had a good look when I got there, so the next day we might delay a little bit longer. He went to the line well and going a mile and two furlongs won’t be a problem.”
Racing began with the success of 33/1 newcomer Dolly May in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden, as the Gavin Ryan partnered daughter of Outstrip scored for trainer James Barrett.
The grey filly finished well when beating Bellabel by a neck and afterwards Barrett said: “She is a very nice, straight, honest filly and I told Gavin to take his time because she was drawn badly.
“She is a very strong two-year-old and I think she’s a blacktype filly. I sell most of mine but if she isn’t sold, she’ll step up to blacktype.”
THERE were no less than five races titled the ‘Limerick Racecourse Handicap’ on the day and arguably the most notable was the first one, with Limerick’s own Wesley Joyce riding a first winner at his local track on the Johnny Murtagh-trained Trueba (3/1 favourite).
Joyce steered his first winner at Sligo in April and today produced Trueba to lead on the inner inside the final furlong as the pair beat Musalsal by a length.
Murtagh wasn’t present and Joyce later reported: “That’s my first at my local track and it’s a pity that none of my family can come along.
“I’m with Johnny a year and a half now and this is my first winner for him. I think he’ll be very happy with the ride I gave it and I can’t wait to go back to see him!”
‘Division four’ of the Limerick Racecourse Handicap produced the biggest-priced winner with 50/1 shot The Alpha Man beating Tipperary Moon by a nose, to score for owner/trainer Seamus O’Donnell and jockey Stephen Cummins.
It was a first Irish winner for jockey Cummins and afterwards O’Donnell said “Stephen is a Tipperary man, rides out in Ballydoyle and had (seven) winners for Richard Hughes in England.
“He came back from England and rides a bit of work for me, knows the horse well so I let him ride him away. The horse showed promise but for some reason or another is back on an even curve. The good ground and dropping to a mile was ideal.”
Second success
The Noel Meade-trained Female Approach (1/1 favourite, in the colours of owner Patricia Hunt) registered her second winner in as many days in the Limerick Racecourse Handicap, following up yesterday’s Fairyhouse win and this time under jockey Colin Keane.
Keane later reported: “Chris (Hayes, yesterday’s winning jockey) always liked her when he rode her in maidens and said she was a filly who would progress and he was duly right.
“Yesterday she had a light weight and it was nice to get on her today. She likes that good ground and I’d imagine will get further as well.”
OWNER/trainer Andy Oliver made the trek from Tyrone to see his Dream Tale (4/1) win the Limerick Racecourse Handicap (v), as the gelding scored a half-length win under jockey Ronan Whelan.
Oliver said afterwards: “He has been knocking on the door so deserved that and Ronan gave him a very good tactical ride.
“I asked Ronan about going seven (furlongs) but he said to stay at a mile or even go up again so we’ll see. He got 10 at Dundalk and it gives us options and he is a good hardy campaigner.”
Punk Poet (4/1) gained a second career win the Limerick Racecourse Rated Race, scoring for trainer Eddie Lynam, his wife Aileen Lynam and under jockey Shane Crosse.
The son of Power chased the leaders, improved to lead with a furlong to race and in the end battled well for a neck win over Mudawy.
Afterwards Crosse stated: “He is a big boy and it takes him a while to get fit. He had a few lovely runs this year and thankfully it paid off.
“He travelled well, there was a nice pace and he dug deep to hold on. He showed a lovely attitude and you’d love to see that.”