ADO McGuinness continues to enjoy his best season to date on all fronts and the landmark 30-winner haul for the campaign is becoming a live possibility for the trainer who struck with Capitulation in the opening €20,000 Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden.
One of just three two-year-olds that the trainer has run this season and the second one to win, this daughter of Elzaam wasn’t winning out of turn having reached the first four in all bar one of her five outings coming into this race.
The step up to a trip over just short of a mile suited the 9/1 chance who was always prominent and took over from the odds-on Chicago Soldier inside the last furlong before holding the oncoming Butterfly Island by a short head.
“She was very unlucky the last day in Leopardstown (third to Tut Tut) when she was flying home. It’s great for the owners because there is a €10,000 bonus there (IRE Incentive Scheme). That’s the second one we’ve got this year so we’ll have to shop at the yearling sales,” remarked McGuinness who could aim his charge at the Birdcatcher later this season.
Chris Hayes went on to bring up a double as the well-backed Plugged In (18/1 - 11/1), trained by his long-time ally Jim Gorman, came good in the first divide of the 45-65 rated Gerry Hughes Memorial Handicap over just short of a mile.
Solid races
The Andrew Syndicate-owned four-year-old ran several solid races in defeat last autumn but had to defy a 326-day absence from the track.
Moreover, he looked a forlorn hope from second last approaching the last quarter of a mile, but then he came with a sweeping effort down the outer and while there was trouble in running aplenty on the inner, Plugged In made the most of his outside run.
He landed in front in the last few strides to edge out the 33/1 chance The Bog Bank by half a length.
The other division of the 45-65 rated handicap went to the Nigel Slevin-trained Ecliptic Moon (15/2) who bounced back from a couple of below-par runs to get back to the form that carried him to a victory at Dundalk in July.
Now a three-time winner, the Paul Giles-owned four-year-old held every chance inside the distance for Sam Ewing and moved ahead of Miss Florentine in the closing strides to score by a head.
A LONG overdue first success finally arrived for Fictitious Lady in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden in a one-two for Willie McCreery.
Initially the plan was for the 13/8 favourite to make the running but disaster struck at the start where Billy Lee’s mount missed the break and found herself looking on from the rear of the field.
The Deerpark Stud-owned filly recovered steadily though and was then produced with a withering charge on the outer to nail her stablemate Prince Hector on the line. Lee picked up a three-day careless riding ban.
“She was bred by John Fagan and his son Peter in Deerpark Stud and we’ve been trying to win with her a long time so thankfully she’s got one,” declared McCreery. “We’ll look for blacktype now and she’ll get plenty of confidence from this.”
Another deserving filly made her mark as the 89-rated Cycladic, at the prohibitive odds of 1/8, made short work of her opponents in the Meath Farm Machinery Fillies Maiden over a mile and a half. Jessica Harrington’s charge had run well on all three of her runs this season and seized this opportunity.
The Niarchos Family-owned daughter of Fastnet Rock breezed past Easily to strike the front over a furlong out and Shane Foley never had to get animated for her to pull six and a half lengths clear.
After showing signs that he could be on the cusp of a first career success, Noble Seal (8/1) put it all together to pounce late in the 50-80 rated Lougher Stables Handicap over just short of a mile. The patiently ridden Noble Seal came with a strong late charge for Gavin Ryan and he picked off Moss Tucker to win by half a length. Tony Martin trains the winner for Seamus Ross.
IN just three visits to the track, That’s Mad (100/30) has developed quite an affinity for Bellewstown and he notched up his second course and distance triumph of the season in the J.H. McLoughlin Oil Handicap over the minimum trip.
Despite being drawn wide, Kevin Manning’s mount always held a reasonable position and he finished well inside the distance to collar Tide Of Time in the final yards.
Trainer Leanne Breen will consider next month’s Joe McGrath Handicap at the Curragh for the five-year-old who she feels is best served by having around four weeks between his races.
The dependable No Thanks (9/2) notched up his third win since joining Matthew Smith in the Panda Power (Q.R.) Handicap over an extended two miles. The five-year-old, who has only finished outside the first four once in 10 starts for Smith, produced a likeable effort under Jody Townend.
The Rory Doyle-owned gelding led over two furlongs out and quickly pressed on for home to open up a decent lead which enabled him to withstand the staying on Hannon by three-parts of a length.
Smith reported that his stout stayer is likely to remain on the flat for the moment.