THE yard had plenty of winners while I took a short midsummer break last week and thankfully our good form has continued since my return.
I’m told we’ve now had 34 flat winners this season and our best ever score is 43. One would hope we will exceed that number this year and, if we do, our two-year-old fillies will deserve a lot of credit. We have had 10 juvenile winners so far this year and they have all been fillies.
I honestly couldn’t tell you why the fillies are performing so much better than the colts – they are all trained the same way. Last Monday night at Roscommon we ran a colt and filly in the same race. The colt had been to a barrier trial and looked to be forward but it was the filly, Justina, who stuck at it best and won at 16/1. It was a surprise to me and to the owners.
Justina is owned by Sir Peter Vela, who was a part-owner of Torcedor, and Yvonne Nicoll, wife of bloodstock agent Adrian. They bred the filly and couldn’t sell her, so it was great for them and for the Acclamation yearling half-sister they have at home.
Half an hour later, Calling Time won a fillies’ handicap on her first start since January. Her all-weather form had worked out well and she went to the sales in February but wasn’t sold. We gave her a break and she obviously improved. Hopefully there is a bit more to come from her.
Justina and Tom Madden (right) win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden from Potala Palace (left) \ Healy Racing
Last Saturday at Naas we had the first and second in the median auction maiden – again, both were fillies. Cool Vixen won it off a light weight. She cost only €18,000 as a yearling and runs for Vimal and Gillian Khosla. They live in Scotland and Vimal is best known as the breeder of Oaks winner Forever Together. I’d say the final of Foran Equine Series back at Naas in October will very much be on her agenda.
Cool Vixen had already won her barrier trial at Naas, finishing upsides another of ours, Sophelanka, who should be out soon.
The runner-up from last Saturday’s race, Punita Anora, runs again today at Navan and I’d expect her to go very close.
Our other winner this week was Claim The Lady, who won a 10-furlong handicap at Naas. Despite the name, this is a colt and he was well overdue a win having finished third to Anthony Van Dyck in Killarney last year – Broome was behind him in fifth! His owners are well-named – The Long Wait Partnership!
Cool Vixen and Niall McCullagh win the Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Maiden \ Healy Racing
Alpha’s sister looks a future Star
THERE was a lot of fuss over the racecourse debut of Alpine Star at Leopardstown on Thursday evening. She is Alpha Centauri’s half-sister and, given all the luck we have had with our two-year-old fillies so far, the tipsters and the public expected a big run.
Like her sister, she has a lovely laid-back temperament and takes everything in her stride. She had been away for a gallop at Punchestown but ran a bit green the other night, finished a close third and we were delighted with her. She wasn’t beaten far and can only improve.
Alpine Star is by Sea The Moon, a German Derby winner, so it’s a bonus to have this filly out and running at this stage of her life. Thursday’s race was over seven and she’ll definitely get a mile at least.
She’s an exciting prospect.
Taking a punt on Punita at Navan
OUR best chance of a winner this weekend looks to be Punita Anora at Navan today.
She finished second to our Cool Vixen just a week ago at Naas, giving the winner a few pounds, when both of them were making their racecourse debuts.
I wouldn’t normally run one back so soon again but this looks a good opportunity. She was a bit free over the six at Naas and today the stiff five at Navan should suit her.
She seems to have come out of last week’s race well, is eating up, her weight is good and she scoped clean. I don’t know what she’s up against but we’re hoping she will go very close.
Leo De Fury only has two to beat in the opening race at Navan but the others have more experience. ‘Leo’ won his maiden very well first time out though I don’t know how good a maiden that was. He is very straightforward, so a tactical race doesn’t bother me too much. I will leave that to Shane [Foley].
His owner, Zhang Yuesheng, also owns Shine Her Light, who runs in the five-furlong maiden. She’s had a break after finishing last of four on her debut as she was starting to grow. She has now come to herself and we are happy with her.
We’ve just the one runner at Fairyhouse on Sunday – But You Said, yet another two-year-old filly in a maiden. She has come forward well since her last run. It’s fair to say we have a good handle on the two-year-old form at this stage but it’s never that simple. They are changing a lot at this stage and it’s not an exact science.
Leo De Fury and Shane Foley win the Silken Thomas Irish EBF Maiden \ Healy Racing
From claimers to classics - a busy week ahead
BUSY week ahead with five days at Killarney, Leopardstown on Thursday and then Irish Oaks weekend at the Curragh. One interesting Killarney runner of ours is Bar Room Bore in the claimer at Fairyhouse on Wednesday.
He is owned by Mrs Cristina Patino, Snow Fairy’s owner, and her racing manager Patrick Cooper is not afraid to use claimers to move horses on. You get to put a value on your own horse and if you win the claimer, you get good prize money.
Bar Room Bore is there to be claimed and there will be no moaning if he wins and somebody else takes him home. In fact I like to see our claimed horses go on to win for other owners and trainers.
Trethias remains on course for the Irish Oaks next Saturday night. She worked well this week and has one more piece of work to do. She’s by Invincible Spirit but she was staying-on strongly at the end of her 10-furlong listed race win and she is from a staying family.
Iridessa will probably start favourite for Joseph O’Brien and no doubt his father will have a few runners. I’d love to think she had an each-way squeak in the classic. We were second in the 2015 Oaks with Jack Naylor and how wonderful it would be to get a slice of the pie again.