IN by far the biggest upset in the 17-year history of the Group 3 Sequence Events Vintage Crop Stakes a back-to-form Master Of Reality sprang a 33/1 shock for Joseph O’Brien to announce himself as a coming force amongst the ranks of the country’s leading stayers.
This one-and-three-quarter-mile event attracted the former Irish Derby hero Capri, last year’s St Leger third Southern France and several other classy types.
None could match the front running Master Of Reality though as he banished the form of his first two Irish runs last autumn to the distant past.
In the colours of Australian owner Lloyd Williams, who has enjoyed such a tremendous association with the trainer, Master Of Reality set off in front under Wayne Lordan. Early in the straight Southern France loomed upsides and Mustajeer then launched a menacing effort on the inner.
However, Master Of Reality kept finding and after first subduing Southern France he ran on determinedly over the course of the final furlong to see off Mustajeer by a neck with Southern France three-parts of a length back in third. Capri had to settle for fifth.
“He had good form in France but it’s hard for horses to switch from France to Ireland in the middle of the season. His first two runs for us were ordinary but Lloyd and Nick (Williams) gave us another chance with him this year and I’m delighted for them,” reported the trainer.
“You’d have to train him for an Ascot Gold Cup now. He had been working well but I didn’t know if he’d be fit enough for this and it’s probably testament to his attitude that he was able to tough it out there.”
The promising Pink Dogwood consolidated her position as the head of the Oaks market in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Salsabil Stakes.
On her first start since contesting last season’s Prix Marcel Boussac, Pink Dogwood was returned the 4/5 favourite under Ryan Moore and she picked up well from midfield to move into the front rank with over a furlong to run.
The sister to Latrobe was pressed all the way by the promising Noel Meade filly Encapsulation but she kept pulling out more to hit the line with half a length to spare.
LOVELY MOVER
“She was just ready to start back and we couldn’t be any happier. She could head straight to the Oaks or have another run beforehand but we’ll just have to see about that,” commented Aidan O’Brien. “She’s a lovely mover and I would imagine that she’d prefer better ground.”
O’Brien and Moore later added to their haul as Blenheim Palace (5/1) improved markedly on his comeback run to land the BetVictor-sponsored three-year-old handicap over a mile and a quarter.
Churchill’s younger brother was never out of the first two and knuckled down well under pressure in the closing stages to see off the favourite King’s Vow and, lastly, Red Gerry.
“He’s still very babyish and it’s taken him a while to get things together. Ryan felt this was a good trip for him and he’ll go for something similar again,” declared O’Brien.
He mightn’t have been showing much at home but Inverleigh (6/1) indicated that he retains all the ability he displayed last season and a bit more to go with it as he returned with a stylish victory in the Listed Committed Stakes.
A debut maiden winner and twice placed at stakes level in just three outings in 2018, this Ger Lyons-trained colt looked a class act as he provided jockey Donagh O’Connor with the first stakes race victory of his career.
O’Connor took his time on the Antoinette Kavanagh and Michael Downey-owned son of Excelebration and the pair were last entering the last quarter of a mile in this extended five-furlong affair.
However, Inverleigh produced quite a response when asked to raise his effort and he came with a sweeping charge to register a clear-cut one-and-three-quarter-length success over the favourite, The Irish Rover.
“At declaration time Colin [Keane] went for the filly [the sixth-placed Chicago May]which I was a tad surprised about but both horses had just been going through the motions at home,” stated Ger Lyons. “Donagh rides out for us once a week so it’s great to give him his first stakes winner and it’s a great result all round. He’s a horse I’d like to try over seven furlongs at some stage.”
Fozzy Stack has Royal Ascot in mind for Back To Brussels (6/1) after she made a winning debut in the BetVictor Bet €5 Get €30 Offer Irish EBF Fillies Maiden over five furlongs.
This daughter of Starspangledbanner was drawn widest of all and got no cover but this proved no barrier to success as she travelled powerfully at all stages for Chris Hayes and then picked smartly to take charge entering the last furlong. The David Keoghan-owned juvenile kept on well to defeat Feminista by three parts of a length.
“She’s a smart filly with plenty of speed and had been going nicely at home but she hadn’t been away at all,” reported Stack. “She could head straight to Ascot or take in either the Marble Hill or the Coolmore Fillies Sprint Stakes at Naas on the way to Ascot.
FIRST WINNER
It was a day to live long in the memory for Fermoy-born rider John Shinnick (17) who partnered the first winner of his career aboard Handsome Maverick in the apprentice handicap over an extended five furlongs.
Shinnnick, who is based with Ger Lyons and is a graduate of RAC, produced the well-backed grey to lead entering the last furlong and the pair held on by a neck from the favourite Little Clarinet.
Handsome Maverick provided young jockey John Shinnick with his first success in the Navan Welcome Owners Today Apprentice Handicap. Also in picture is groom Aoife Wall. Photo: Healy Racing Photo
Handsome Maverick is bred, owned and trained by Donal Kinsella and was backed from as big as 33/1 into 12/1 to build on a midfield finish at Cork the previous week.
“John did everything that was asked of him and he got him out and into the clear which was important as he doesn’t like having other horses around him,” reported Kinsella. “He will run at the Curragh next Monday and hopefully he will be able to pick up another one of these.”
Edward O’Grady’s Venezia sprang a 25/1 surprise in the concluding one-mile, five-furlong handicap to register his first success on the flat since he struck over this course and distance in September 2015.
The Declan McDonogh-ridden Venezia and Strange Notions went toe-to-toe inside the distance and flashed past the line as one before the grey was given the verdict by a nose.
“My last two flat runners have been beaten a head and three-parts of a lengths so it’s nice to come out the right side this time. He did have a wind operation over the winter so perhaps that has helped him see it out better,” declared O’Grady whose charge is owned by Patrick Hickman and Gavin Johns.
O’Brien satisfied
EVEN though his two representatives met with defeat Aidan O’Brien expressed his satisfaction with the efforts of Capri and Southern France in the Vintage Crop Stakes and both are likely to have another run ahead of the Gold Cup at Ascot with the Savel Beg Stakes their next intended target.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
BETWEEN HILLS
(J. Harrington): This daughter of Hot Streak ran a nice race on her debut to finish third to Back To Brussels and she would have been closer with a smoother run through the race. She could take beating next time.
ACTING STEWARDS:
L. Reynolds, J. Rearden,
M. Magnier, L. McFerran, M.F. O’Donoghue