Little Ginger
(James Fahey)
Limerick, April 16th
Owner-breeder Frank Reynolds got plenty of enjoyment out of the five-time winner Dromore Lad down the years; the strong stayer capturing the 2020 Cork Grand National Handicap Chase over three and a half miles. The same family could be set to yield further success for Reynolds on the evidence of Little Ginger’s fourth-placed effort in a Limerick bumper last week.
The Crystal Ocean gelding, a half-brother to Dromore Lad, didn’t show much after his rivals got away from him in a four-runner bumper at Punchestown in February, but he was considerably better on his second start over an extended two miles and three furlongs here. He was ultimately beaten five and a half lengths in fourth behind Gaelic Warrior’s workmanlike brother Sparkling Wit. Little Ginger took a little longer than his main rivals to throw down his challenge in the straight. However, he did stay plugging on and looks a staying prospect on this evidence (hardly a surprise given his pedigree). He can win races in the longer term over obstacles.
Simple Things
(Philip Dempsey)
Bellewstown, April 18th
Recent flat premier handicap winner Fiver Friday cashed in on her return to hurdles at Bellewstown last Saturday, when bolting up on a good card for Gavin Cromwell. She’s now up to a mark of 90 on the level, so made light work of her task off 115 over obstacles. The Bellewstown runner-up Simple Things will have little trouble winning races in her own right after taking another step in the right direction here. Having flashed potential when sixth on her previous outing at Navan, her handicap debut, she came home best of the rest here from off the pace - no match for the winner, but four and a quarter lengths in front of the third. J.P. and Noreen McManus’ home-bred is still learning and will be gaining confidence from her last two runs.
Our Sara
(James Fahey)
Bellewstown, April 18th
Little Ginger wasn’t the only James Fahey horse to show promise in recent days. Our Sara, also fourth, showed progress from her debut to outrun her odds of 80/1 in a Bellewstown auction bumper for horses bought for €30,000 or less as stores. The Vadamos mare doesn’t have a big pedigree behind her by any means, but - in a bumper where few got involved from behind - she did keep on under Oran McGill to be beaten 15 and a half lengths by the consistent Gillane.
There were some datapoints to note with her too. Our Sara’s maximum stride length of 7.23 metres was the second biggest in the race, as per RaceiQ. She actually quickened up better than anything in the field from four furlongs out to three furlongs out as well, and only one runner was faster from three to two out. Eessentially, she showed some pace at a key stage. Perhaps in a differently-run race, she would have got closer, and this was her first run after 170 days off.
What A Girl Wants
(Robson De Aguiar)
Curragh, April 19th
Joseph O’Brien described five-furlong Curragh winner Star Prospect as “made for the Norfolk Stakes or something like that” after bursting through late to beat Ballydoyle newcomer Carry The Flag last Sunday. Don’t sleep on the third from that contest, though. Even if she wasn’t the stable’s number one on jockey bookings, What A Girl Wants - a filly fighting out the finish against colts - shaped as though she can win a maiden before long for Robson De Aguiar and Amo Racing.
Colin Keane’s mount clocked the highest top speed of any runner in the race and got into a challenging position, before the well-regarded winner had too many guns for her. With the likelihood that she can improve from this, the Tally-Ho Stud-bred daughter of Persian Force is one to keep onside in a fillies’ maiden over the coming weeks.
Ischgl
(Ciaran Murphy)
Curragh, April 19th
There had been significant talk surrounding well-bred Ballydoyle colt Great Barrier Reef ahead of his debut in the six-furlong juvenile maiden on the same card, and the No Nay Never newcomer didn’t disappoint. He was strong in the market (4/9 favourite) and bolted up by six lengths, with Aidan O’Brien noting that he “always viewed him as a horse that would turn into a Coventry or Dewhurst type”. While absolutely no match for the now 2/1 favourite for the Coventry, Ischgl ran a race of promise at 100/1 on his debut back in second for Ciaran Murphy - especially considering how he got loose on the way to post.
He wasn’t blessed with space in the first furlong and a half, always behind the leading players, but he did run on well to pull a length and three-quarters clear of the third (who had filled the same spot in the season’s opening maiden). Ischgl’s average stride length of 7.01 metres was the longest in this admittedly small field, and, with natural improvement from this experience, he looks capable of getting off the mark.
Dreaminthejungle
(Claire O’Connell)
Curragh, April 19th
Having been off the track for 295 days beforehand, connections of Dreaminthejungle have every right to feel positive about his prospects of belatedly winning a maiden after finishing fifth in a 24-runner maiden at the Curragh. Claire O’Connell’s Bungle Inthejungle gelding (out of a fast, sprinting mare) was sent off 50/1 for this comeback effort over six furlongs and had to give away plenty of weight to most of the field in terms of an age allowance. As he’d have been entitled to be, it appeared as though James Ryan’s mount was a shade rusty when first asked to quicken up and this run won’t be lost on him. There was still something to like about the way this four-year-old stuck to the task. He was beaten a total of four lengths (only a length and three-quarters separating him and second) and gave 16lb or 11lb to the four rivals in front of him.
Blues Emperor
(William Harvey)
Curragh, April 19th
Blues Emperor looks a smart buy for €10,000 at last year’s Goffs Autumn Horse-In-Training Sale and showed a spark when fourth in a 17-runner handicap over seven furlongs at the Curragh last Sunday. Having run off 89 on his last start for Johnny Murtagh, he was dropped to a career-low 79 after three runs for the William Harvey team and this start represented a nice step in the right direction.
He warmed up after first coming off the bridle and made sustained progress on the far side - running on to clock the second-fastest sectional from two furlongs out to the line (only behind unlucky second Red Charlie on that metric - the Slatterys’ in-form runner-up remains another to keep onside, despite another 3lb nudge for this). Blues Emperor is seven now, but he’s probably just as good, if not better, at a mile and is ground-versatile. He should pick up a race or two.
Quietrunsthedon
(Liam Cusack)
Tramore, April 19th
Despite what appeared a potential touch going astray on this occasion, Quietrunsthedon is a well-treated maiden, who will make his mark over hurdles before long. Owner John Murray and trainer Liam Cusack have had to be patient with this €85,000 store purchase at the 2021 Goffs Land Rover Sale, given he had only run five times before last weekend - and he’s an eight-year-old.
He didn’t set the world alight in those runs, but he was well backed from 25/1 into an SP of 7/1 for this handicap debut in what looked a weak race. For much of the run for home, he looked the most likely winner and traded as short as even-money in-running. However, he couldn’t find the same initial acceleration off the bridle as the winner and just stayed plugging away - the winner was quicker in each of the last three furlongs than him. That said, he pulled a whole 14 lengths clear of the third and earned a 4lb rise. He could still easily be better than his mark of 94, with normal progression from his introduction to handicap races.