JESSICA Harrington looks to have found another talented colt to represent owner Zhang Yuesheng as Deputy Sandy graduated from a third in a Dundalk barrier trial last week to land the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
This strapping son of Footstepsinthesand, who is the first produce of a mare that won 10 times, went toe-to-toe with the well-backed newcomer Southern Lights from early in the straight.
The Ballydoyle representative Khartoum threatened to get involved as well but ultimately the outcome of this seven-furlong affair rested between the aforementioned duo and Deputy Sandy answered every question asked of him by Shane Foley.
He edged ahead nearing the line to carry the day by a head and time may show that the finish of this race was fought out by two good colts.
“He benefitted from his trip to Dundalk where he went six furlongs and the longer trip today suited him well,” said Harrington. “He’s only a baby and I’m not sure if he will run again this year but he likes quick ground and he is a nice colt.”
The day’s action contained a sting in the tail for the current jockey’s championship leader as he was given a two-day careless riding ban after partnering Yulong De Legend into fourth in an earlier maiden.
Fresh from their National Stakes triumph, Joseph O’Brien and Declan McDonogh struck with Sense Of Style (3/1) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over seven furlongs.
In a race that was won by Fancy Blue last year, the Ben Sangster and Sue Magier-owned daughter of Zoffany travelled nicely through the race and responded to her rider’s promptings to pick off the front-running Friendly inside the last furlong.
Sense Of Style, who had filled the runner-up spot in maidens at Dundalk and Navan last month, reached the line with a length to spare over Rosa Woodsii.
JOHNNY Levins must wish there was flat racing at Naas every week as the trainer made it five winners from just 12 runners at the track this season with Keeper Of Time in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.
After finishing at the rear in last weekend’s Ingabelle Stakes, this Mehmas filly was making a quick return to action, but a much improved effort was evidently expected as she was returned at 15/2.
Donagh O’Connor produced the John Nolan-owned filly with an unfaltering effort on the outer to get the better of Lay It Out by half a length.
“She was just too inexperienced for Leopardstown last weekend but I liked the way she stuck at it after finding herself last in a slowly run race,” stated Levins who was sending out his first two-year-old winner.
“Seven furlongs or a mile on fast ground is what she wants and we’ll be looking at stakes races with her now.”
Apprentice Luke McAteer maintained his red-hot form with a seventh winner in 15 days which came courtesy of Jim Bolger’s Verbal Fencing (7/2) who landed the mile nursery to follow up her recent Down Royal triumph.
The Jackie Bolger-owned filly was up 5lb for Down Royal and was encountering much better ground but showed herself to be a two-year-old on the up in finishing just under four lengths ahead of Equilove.
The card began with a victory for the Fozzy Stack-trained Mass Gathering (16/1) in the six-furlong claimer.
This David Keoghan and Casey McLiney-owned filly was 7lb better off with Zoffany’s Delight for a length beating in the first nursery of the season at Sligo and took advantage of these more advantageous terms to prevail by a head under Mark Enright.
An anxious wait followed this result as the first two came together inside the distance to prompt an enquiry that took a little bit of time before the result was confirmed.
The winner was claimed for €6,000 to join Tom Cleary, John Oxx will take charge of the fourth-placed Dacesa who cost €13,000 and the eighth-placed Uno Miligre was snapped up by James McAuley for €8,000.
Lordan lands the half century
WAYNE Lordan made it 50 winners for the season – his best tally since 2012 – with a double which concluded aboard the useful-looking Sziget (10/1) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden over seven furlongs.
John Grogan’s charge showed plenty to finish fifth in a Leopardstown maiden on her debut last month and she bounced back from an unplaced run at Navan last time to win well, finishing three and three quarter lengths ahead of the newcomer Emporio.
“She did that nicely. Hopefully next year she could stretch out to a mile and we’ll see now whether she goes for a nursery or tries for some blacktype,” declared Grogan who trains the filly for Teresa Bergin.
Lordan was earlier successful aboard Gavin Cromwell’s Giselle’s Thunder in the Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Maiden. The 5/6 favourite had run to a decent level on her first three outings and looked right at home as she dropped back to the minimum trip.
The Brendan Keogh-owned daughter of Night Of Thunder was always in the front rank and settled this race entering the last furlong to finish four lengths clear of the field.
The jockey could have had a treble were it not for the Ger Lyons-trained and Colin Keane-ridden Fight Zone (85/40) who held off the favourite Hype in determined fashion in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Maiden over six furlongs.
This Wendy O’Leary-owned son of War Front had shown a nice level of ability in three decent maidens and toughed it well from the front. Fight Zone and Hype squared off from an early stage of this race and dominated the outcome to the exclusion of everything else with the Lyons colt shading the verdict by half a length.
“He’s a fine, big horse who is just very immature still and really it’s all about next year with him. When he fills into himself he will be a lovely three-year-old,” reported the trainer’s brother Shane.