TOP class stayer Master Of Reality booked his ticket back to Melbourne with a facile success in the Listed Her Majesty’s Plate at Down Royal yesterday.

Joseph O’Brien’s five-year-old was always close up for Wayne Lordan and moved up to dispute the lead just before turning for home. He held an outright advantage as early as the two-furlong pole but was able to coast clear of a boxing-on Barbados. The winner had three and a half lengths to spare over Jessica Harrington’s runner at the line, with Rakan back in third.

O’Brien’s representative Brendan Powell reported that a trip Down Under was the plan again and, on the evidence of this performance, the son of Frankel is in good shape. He was second past the post in the Melbourne Cup last year but lost that position in a stewards’ inquiry, having veered to his left under Frankie Dettori.

Joseph O’Brien has been in serious form in the last two weeks and he registered his 17th win in just two weeks when Baron Samedi was a ridiculously easy winner in the Paddy Power From The Horse’s Mouth Podcast Handicap. Ridden by Dylan Browne McMonagle, an apprentice in fine form himself, the LECH Limited Racing-owned gelding always travelled well, moved up on the outside of runners heading into the straight where he bounded clear, despite running a little wayward.

He was winning here off a mark of 73 and is one to follow now, perhaps for one of the big staying handicaps this autumn.

IT was another good day for Colin Keane who arrived at the northern track buoyed by the previous evening’s news that he can travel to France to ride Siskin in tomorrow’s Prix du Moulin and won’t have to quarantine on his return.

The Meath jockey registered a double, riding Jerandme to win the Ulster Cesarewitch and A Case Of You to win a maiden earlier on the card.

Jerandme, trained by Noel Meade, has now yet to finish outside the top three from 12 starts, split evenly between flat and National Hunt. He did very well to win here because he reared up at the start, which sparked him to run freely early on, and it needed all of Keane’s talent to restrain and settle him.

Always up in the van, the Harbrio Partnership-owned gelding moved to the front just after the two-furlong marker, edging towards the stands’ rail before staying on strongly to hold off Walking On Glass, the only horse able to challenge him. Paul Traynor’s Lusis Naturea was back in third.

Earlier Keane combined with John McConnell to score on A Case Of You, who very much caught the eye in the latest maiden in the Foran Equine Irish EBF series. A barrier trial ‘winner’ at Dundalk, this son of Hot Streak showed up well at Bellewstown on his debut, disputing the lead for a long time before getting tired late on.

He had a wide draw to defy here but, having travelled well on the outside of runners, he swept to the front when Keane asked him and was much too good for his rivals yesterday, coming clear of Andrew Slattery’s Earls Rock, who ran notably well on his debut.

After the race Keane said: “He was drawn wide again today but he was much the best horse. He ran around a bit and he was very green again. I’d say he is very versatile trip-wise and he looks like a nice horse going forward.”

The other maiden on the card, the opening five-furlong contest, went to Jack Davison’s Mooneista, who gained a deserved success.

The daughter of Dandy Man had run into good fillies such as Frenetic, Measure Of Magic and Sloane Peterson already this season, and she also ran a big race in the valuable Ballyhane Stud Irish EBF Stakes at Naas two weeks ago. She was entitled to win this contest off her rating of 91 and she did so comfortably, defying a wide draw and trip around, by holding off the challenge of Perfect Match in the final furlong.

Davison trains the filly, who already has blacktype having finished second in a listed contest, for his mother Paula.

Jim Bolger yard continues in form

JIM Bolger has sent out some notable two-year-old winners in recent weeks and, though less significant than others, he sent out another juvenile winner yesterday in the shape of Verbal Fencing in the Paddy Power Free Racing Nursery Handicap.

Off a mark of 69, the daughter of Vocalised produced an improved performance when third to Star Image at the Curragh last week and off that same rating, she just held on for a win here. Luke McAteer got her to the front from stall 10, kicked a couple of lengths clear in the straight and the pair just held off the challenge of Conor O’Dwyer’s Barretstown who was just a nose away from victory by the line.

The final race on the card, the Paddy Power Missing Fans Handicap went to Pat Fahy’s Der Mc. The four-year-old, owned by Ire Asset Holding Limited, was held up by Leigh Roche before making stylish headway alongside favourite Mystic Millie and Colin Keane on the wide outside. When asked to win his race, Der Mc picked up really well for Roche and the pair had three lengths to spare over Garvan Donnelly’s filly at the line.