Rest of the card
A DERMOT Weld victory in the Moyglare “Jewels” Blandford Stakes is one of the staples of Irish Champions Weekend and the Rosewell House trainer duly notched up his fifth victory in six years in this 10-furlong Group 2 courtesy Tarnawa. Already a dual Group 3 winner this season, the Aga Khan-owned filly has held her form very well.
Chris Hayes set sail for home early in the straight on and this proved to be a race winning move as they went on to defeat the 15/8 favourite Goddess by a length and a half. Credenza ran a big race to take third ahead of Waitingfortheday.
“She stays further and Chris kicked at just the right time in the straight,” reflected Weld. “She’s had a long season and has been winning since March but hopefully she will now go on to the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot. She’s progressing and she will also be a four-year-old to look forward to.”
Poet keeps his cool
The day drew to a memorable close as the triple Galway Festival hero One Cool Poet (12/1) struck a major blow for trainer Matthew Smith in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Northfields Handicap. A horse with an amazing appetite for racing and one that likes to be delivered late, One Cool Poet has found his perfect partner in Billy Lee who yet again timed it to perfection.
One Cool Poet and Billy Lee won the Northfields Handicap for trainer Michael Smith \ Healy Racing
On his first start since Galway, the DRFG Partnership-owned seven-year-old finished in midfield the previous afternoon at Leopardstown but he was turned out better than ever. One Cool Poet was last approaching the straight and still had it all to do with well over a furlong to run, but he came with his trademark late surge to mow down one rival after another and he collared Numerian in the final yards to score by three-parts of a length.
“He was too keen and fresh and didn’t settle yesterday. I asked Billy if I should run him and he said to me I’d nearly leave it but look here we are – I’m a bit lost for words really,” stated Smith who was recording the biggest success of his career.
“I only gave him 10 days off after Galway but I’d say I nearly gave him too much time. Now he’s won a pot like this I’ll sit down and talk to the lads on where we go.”
The classy Buffer Zone vindicated his connection’s belief that he might just be better than a handicapper as he produced a commanding display to take the Bold Lad Sprint Handicap for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane. A 13lb hike in the ratings for his three previous Irish outings did nothing to halt the progress of this four-year-old who looks another canny Gaelic Bloodstock purchase having been picked up for 50,000gns last autumn.
Buffer Zone, who is owned by Sean Jones, David Spratt and Lynne Lyons, strode to the front with real purpose as the last furlong loomed and found plenty in the closing stages to contain fellow 11/2 joint-favourite Make A Challenge by one and three-quarter lengths. The English raider Gulliver looked unlucky in third, while Gordon Lord Byron ran a tremendous race off top-weight to secure fourth.
“A group horse in a handicap was Colin’s view,” reported Lyons. “He’s very progressive. It’s not our style to run them back quick but he is in the Ayr Gold Cup next weekend so we’ll have a chat.”
Michael Bell landed the €300,000 Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sale Stakes and courtesy of the Andrea Atzeni-ridden Stone Circle (14/1). The English contingent dominated, and Stone Circle finished out strongly to deny Maystar by head with Hamish Macbeth a close third. “We won a sales race for these owners (The Fitzrovians 3) in France on Arc weekend last year and this is the horse that they reinvested in. He was bought for €50,000 by Alex Elliott and my son Nick,” stated Bell.