JOHNNY Murtagh’s tremendous run of success took yet another turn for the better on Wednesday as the Group 1 entrant Know It All bounced back from a luckless second here last month to land the Group 3 Derrinstown Stud Fillies Stakes over a mile.
Possibly with better luck in running last time this Qatar Racing-owned daughter of Lord Kanaloa might have lined up here as a pattern winner, but she didn’t have to wait long for compensation at this level.
The first Group 3 winner of jockey Ben Coen’s career, Know It All (3/1) picked up well to lead with over a furlong to run en route to a two-and-a-quarter-length triumph over Celestial Object.
Ridenza made a pleasing comeback in third, with the Irish 1000 Guineas third So Wonderful dropping away in the straight to finish seventh.
“She had shown us all the signs that she had come forward for her first run. I thought Ben gave her a lovely ride from a tough draw,” said Murtagh.
“She’s got some big entries (including the Matron Stakes) and hopefully she can keep progressing, which I think she will as she’s big, powerful filly.”
Murtagh then brought up a double as the Shane Kelly-ridden Red Kelly ran riot in the Holden Plant Rentals Handicap to score by seven lengths to warrant fully his position as the 11/8 favourite.
This colt finished 11th in a maiden over this course and distance last month but that placing doesn’t begin to tell the full story as he was beaten by only nine lengths in a quality affair where the first three home went on to fill the minor placings in the Irish Derby last weekend.
“He was impressive. He ran in a very good maiden here last time and he’s been working really nicely with the horses that have been winning,” commented Murtagh whose charge carries the colours of the Red Kelly Syndicate.
AFTER beginning his season with an excellent sixth in the Irish 2000 Guineas, the Michael Halford-trained Sinawann took full advantage of a drop in class in the Group 3 Amethyst Stakes over a mile.
This impressive Aga Khan-owned son of Kingman appeared to do everything at his leisure under Ronan Whelan and was still going quite smoothly when he moved to the front a quarter of a mile from home.
The progressive handicapper Confidence High closed in with menace early in the last furlong, but Sinawann (6/5) was always doing enough and had more to spare than the winning margin of a length would suggest.
“I thought he ran a blinder in the Guineas and he’s all the better for that run and he loved that ground too,” reflected Halford. “He’s a very nice horse who has pace, travels well in his races and gets this trip well. We might see if he’ll get further at some stage.”
Reverberation achieved the rare feat of winning three handicaps on the spin in the apprentice riders’ handicap over a mile.
Just as was the case at Fairyhouse last week, Gavin Ryan produced James Lambe’s charge to come from well off the pace and the 11/4 chance got home by half a length.
The Richard Behan-owned five-year-old had to carry a 6lb penalty but was still 6lb well in relative to his revised mark.
“Our hand was forced a little but into running him again. I’d say he’s probably at his limit now and we might give him a little break and freshen him up now,” stated the trainer.
After sending out an across the card four-timer, Jessica Harrington also went close to landing the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Fillies Maiden but her Toora Loora was beaten by half a length by Joseph O’Brien’s Blackcatblackitten (6/5) who made most of the running for Declan McDonogh.
The Newtown Anner Stud-owned filly had finished a short-head and a head behind the second when they met at Roscommon last month.
JESSICA Harrington marked her return to the racecourse by unveiling a two-year-old with pattern-race potential in Cadillac who stormed to a nine-length debut triumph in the Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Maiden over seven furlongs.
From a family of some very good two-year-olds, this Lope De Vega colt only led early in the last furlong but the way in which he finished out his race was stunning.
The winner’s level of performance was such that he would have taken some beating in the strongest of open maidens.
The 15/8 favourite, who looks a bargain at €40,000, is the latest horse to carry the increasingly familiar and prolific Alpha Racing colours.
“It’s great to be back and he’s a nice horse. I was glad to see the bit of rain fall as he probably wouldn’t have run on firm ground,” reported the winning trainer.
“At home he just goes through the motions and that was the first time any buttons were pressed.”
The trainer and jockey then struck with the returning Aesop (7/2), a half-brother to Youmzain and Creachadoir, in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction (C&G) Maiden.
The Ann Marshall-owned son of Make Believe cut down the front-running Pugin to carry the by a length as the 75-rated colt came back to the form that saw him finish a good fifth to Wichita in a Curragh maiden last August.
Shane Foley then brought up a treble on the Prunella Dobbs-trained Airgead (10/1) in the 50-75 rated seven-furlong handicap.
A winner at this track last season, the Chris Clinch-owned gelding passed most of the field in the straight to strike the front in the last couple of strides.