Front page: Today’s front page has a box headed “DISPUTE”. It states: “As a result of an industrial dispute between the managements of the Dublin newspapers and the National Union of Journalists, freelance journalists have withdrawn their services from The Irish Field, The Irish Times, Independent Newspapers and the Irish Press group. While the dispute continues The Irish Field regrets that some regular items will be missing from its pages.”
Today’s issue does not feature the work of some regular contributors, including Sam McAughtry, Claire Barry, Neville Ring, Jonathan Powell, Bob Fannin and Miles Napier. The front page also has two articles by Valentine Lamb, both bloodstock news.
Ahoonora to Coolmore: On Tuesday, a deal is done by the Irish National Stud to sell Ahonoora to Coolmore for £7 million. Having stood at a fee of £2,500 in 1980, this year Ahonoora costs £20,000. This year’s successes include dual Guineas winner Don’t Forget Me. Coolmore are partners in the deal with Segenhoe Stud in Australia, so Ahonoora will be going down under in the autumn. Irish National Stud manager John Clarke says: “The financial security of the stud now looks guaranteed.”
Classic Thoroughbreds launched: A company will be launched on the Dublin and London Stock Exchanges later this year. Classic Thoroughbreds aims to buy around 20 yearlings this year, and they will be trained by Vincent O’Brien. Lamb writes that the scheme is the brainchild of businessman Dermot Desmond.
O’Brien will own 9%; John Magnier and Robert Sangster both will have 5%; Michael Smurfit 6%; and John Horgan 3%. O’Brien will be chairman, and Magnier chief executive. About two million pounds worth of shares will be on offer to the general public at 30p per share, and it is expected that the minimum investment for any one person will be £1,000.
Punchestown trainers: It is a charity meeting at Punchestown in aid of the Camphill Communities. Biggest prize money is the £2,762 for the Goodbody-James Capel Handicap of seven furlongs, which is won by Christy Roche on Head Of The House.
Considerable interest is given to the Dunshane Trainers Race, over a mile and five furlongs, where trainers are the riders. Jim Bolger is favourite at 5/4 on Over The Seas, but they are beaten two and a half lengths by Dos Adventica and John Harty. John Fowler is third on Bishopstone.
Downpatrick Doom: Friday evening’s card features the Bass Handicap Chase, worth £690, over two and a half miles, is won by Dearg Doom, and this is the gelding’s sixth win at Downpatrick. There is a win for Charlie Swan when Tracy’s Sundown wins a maiden. Originally scheduled to ride Tracy’s Sundown is Kieran Fallon, who gets jocked off. But the Clareman wins the very next race, the mile and five handicap, on Alkhayyam.
Over jumps, Joe Byrne both trains and rides Napier to win the opening maiden hurdle, and this is his seventh winner since receiving his trainer’s licence.
Cash’s judgement: Phoenix Park is the venue on Saturday afternoon, the fourth of July, and the going is good. It’s a good day for American jockey Cash Asmussen, who has a treble. The hat-trick includes the featured Group 2 Pacemaker International Stakes, over a mile, worth £31,250. Star gelding Teleprompter comes over to try to win this race for a third time, in spite of the burden of 10st. He can only finish fourth to Fair Judgement, with Stately Don second and Waajib third. Fair Judgement, 2/1 favourite, is owned by Sheikh Mohammed and trained by Vincent O’Brien.
Asmussen rides another winner for Ballydoyle as 5/2 favourite Platinum King takes the concluding maiden in the Stavros Niarchos colours. The treble is completed by Pallasbeg winning the Pedens Handicap at 4/5 favourite. Pallasbeg is trained by John Oxx, who also wins with Dr Brook.
Noora Abu, a daughter of Ahonoora, wins her fifth race of the season as she and Kevin Manning take the Brown Thomas Race. Jim Bolger is the winning trainer. The five-year-old mare is owned by Mrs Catherine Shubotham.
Asmussen support: There is a Letter to the Editor from Gordon Kelly of Sligo. After Saturday’s Phoenix Park meeting, some coverage in one Sunday newspaper next day is critical of Asmussen’s riding in the races won by Noora Abu and Dr Brook, with Asmussen on the runner-up in both. Kelly names one particular racing journalist who “has missed no opportunity to have a go at the American. His last two articles have probably brought Irish racing journalism to a new low, in terms of his jockey bashing antics.” Kelly analyses the races won by Noora Abu and Dr Brook and defends Asmussen. He sums up some journalists’ tactics as: “When the American jockey wins the suggestion is that the horse was very good; whereas if he loses: the phrases used tend to be ‘did not shine’ or ‘was outridden by another jockey’.”
Verling success: Limerick stages a mixed card on Monday. Feature is the Irish Bookmakers Association Handicap Hurdle, which is won by Cnoc Na Marcach, owned and trained by Garrett Verling, and ridden by Pat Verling. The apprentice handicap is won by Chicago Style, trained by John Oxx, and ridden by young Johnny Murtagh. In the two mile maiden hurdle, Rodaggio and Mickey Flynn overturn odds-on favourite Ballychorus Dream.
Roscommon: Trainer/jockey Joe Byrne keeps up his good run on Tuesday evening when Pressure Game wins the two mile hurdle. Christy Roche is also in good form, and he wins a maiden on St Helen’s Star. Feature race is the Paddy Guerin Memorial Handicap Chase over two miles, and this is won by Emmet Street, ridden by Niall Madden. Since retiring from training, Seamus McGrath has his first winner as an owner when Jataat makes a winning debut, ridden by Stephen Craine. Jataat is trained by the owner’s nephew, Barry Kelly.
More news from this meeting is a new procedure for admission of pensioners to race meetings: “Instead of being admitted at half price, pensioners will pay the full price of admission at the turnstiles and then be refunded half at the racecourse office on presentation of pension books.”
Fallon victorious: Naas hosts racing on Wednesday evening. Kevin Prendergast trains a double, starting with Eddie Leonard winning the apprentice race on Highly Delighted and completed by Kieran Fallon winning the Celbridge Handicap on Alkhlij.
Another trainer with a double is Pat Martin, who wins the two hurdle races with Rocky Domain and Skomal. Meanwhile the John Oxx stable continues its good form as Kakari wins the maiden. The bumper is won by Ted Walsh on his own horse, Colourful Dancer, trained by his father, Ruby.
Bolger and Supple score: Gowran Park on Thursday evening stages a card on firm going. Feature race is the McEnery Perpetual Cup Handicap, which is won by Bold-E-Be at 20/1, ridden by Willie Supple and trained by Jim Bolger.
Other good results for bookies come in the juvenile maiden when Habilage and David Parnell win at 12/1, Edenkell wins the novice chase under Anthony Powell at 14/1, and division one of the apprentice handicap goes to Zany at 25/1, a first racecourse win for rider Michael Murphy. Kieran Fallon wins division two of the apprentice handicap with Northern Barry, the 4/5 favourite.
Christy Roche has only one ride. It’s on Haunting Harmony in the last for Stavros Niarchos and David O’Brien, and they win at 8/15 favourite.
Laytown inquiry: At the Turf Club Registry Office on Thursday, an inquiry takes place into the Mornington Handicap, run at Laytown last August. Almost 11 months after the race, the winner, Old Dublin, is disqualified, and the race awarded to Fiestal.
There is no patrol camera at Laytown. The Turf Club recently received a copy of a film taken that day by a Swedish television company, and the inquiry was reopened. The film shows that Old Dublin had gone the wrong side of a doll. Jockeys Jock Hunter, rider of Old Dublin, and Benjy Coogan, who had finished fourth in the race, have been severely cautioned as to the truthfulness of the evidence they had given at the original Laytown inquiry.
Mtoto’s Eclipse: This week’s article on English racing is written by Valentine Lamb. Last Saturday at Sandown, the Eclipse Stakes is run, and it turns out to be the fastest Eclipse Stakes ever, at 2m 4.33 seconds. It is won by Mtoto, a four-year-old son of Busted, who beats Derby winner Reference Point and Steve Cauthen.
Reference Point loses nothing in defeat. With Reference Point in the lead turning for home, Michael Roberts on Mtoto starts to make his effort two furlongs out. Mtoto heads Reference Point just over a furlong out. But the Derby winner, like a boxer on the ropes, fights back. However, Mtoto is ahead at the finish line. Roberts says: “I knew we would be able to lie up with him however fast he set off. It was just a question of if we would quicken past. He did it very well and I should think Mtoto will stay a little further.”
Alec Stewart trains Mtoto at Newmarket. There could be a rematch in the King George at Ascot, over Reference Point’s preferred distance of a mile and a half, which, writes Lamb, “should prove to be another epic.”
On Thursday, at Newmarket, Ajdal wins the July Cup over six furlongs. After disappointing in the 2000 Guineas and the Epsom Derby, Ajdal provides trainer Michael Stoute with his first Group 1 win of the year. There is a photo of Stoute with the caption: “You can stop worrying now Michael!”
France: Desmond Stoneham reports from France. The big race last weekend is the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, and the prize is exported to Britain. Moon Madness wins, ridden by Pat Eddery and trained by John Dunlop. Stoneham also reports on important news for French racing: a television deal. On Tuesday, a contract is signed between the French Racing Association, and television network TF1, which has been recently privatised. Louis Romanet says: “TF1 have paid us £1 million, and we will be getting 85 hours of exposure a year.”
Flat sires: Pages 21 and 22 are devoted to statistical tables, headed “The Flat Sires of ’87.” Headlining the main list is Mill Reef, whose progeny so far have won a grand total of IR£686,664. Alleged is in second, and Ahonoora third. Lists for first season sires are led by Kafu, second season Critique and sire of two-year-olds Mummy’s Pet.