THESE are exciting times for Andy Slattery who has made a promising start to the season. The Tipperary trainer will head to Naas tomorrow to run impressive Dundalk maiden winner Offline in the Listed Rochestown Stakes while earlier last week Slattery recorded another first time out winner in Decisive Action at the Curragh.
Slattery’s operation is very much a family affair with brothers Willie and Brian two sizeable cogs in the process and his son Andrew has made a bright start as an apprentice, recording a notable success on Sors at Navan.
‘Things have gone well for him and Ben Coen is here with me as well. They both claim 7lbs which is a big plus. They are improving all the time and hopefully the pair of them will ride plenty of winners on the grass,” Slattery said.
“Declan McDonogh rides most of mine when I can get him, but the two lads are here riding plenty of work and they will get plenty of opportunities from me over the next few months.”
Slattery has around 10 juveniles and he remarked: “It was great that the two that we’ve ran have won and that gives us a fair guide with regard to the horses at home. We have some nice back end types and a few of them will be better next year. It is all about having good owners and we are very lucky that way and I also have great staff.
“We wouldn’t have fortunes to spend at the sales and Decisive Action which won last week at the Curragh cost just €8,000 as a yearling. Between us all, we cover a lot of ground at the sales and it is very satisfying when you buy a nice yearling that can win at two.”
A FEW DOLLARS MORE
5yo b g (8800060-)
Moss Vale - Lady Naomi
Kevin Walsh
He had his wind done and he was due to start off a Cork yesterday evening. It might take him a couple of runs to reach peak fitness and I suppose to get his confidence back. He has dropped a fair bit in the ratings since last year and if he could get him back to his best form, he could be a very well handicapped horse.
AN SAIGHDIUR
11yo b g (9900-9410)
Acclamation -Brief Sentimen
Men Of Forty Eight Syndicate
He won again at Cork for us earlier in the year and he has been great for us. I am going to give him a few weeks off out on grass – something that he has never had and he’ll be back at the end of July. I have no doubt that there are more races to be won with him.
COMHGHAIRDEAS
4yo b g (201619-24)
Acclamation - Maid To Order
Men Of Forty Eight Syndicate
We thought that he’d nearly win the last day but a few of mine weren’t really firing, so we’ll give him a chance now and he’ll have an easy few weeks. We felt last year that he was a premier handicap horse and I haven’t changed my view on him. I have no doubt that he’ll be competitive in a few nice races for us this year. He’ll go on any ground – he has won on good to firm and he handles slow ground as well. Those big sprint handicaps will be the aim for him this season.
KUDBEGOOD
3yo g (072)
Most Improved - Orpens Peach
Ronnie & Trish Partnership
He was second at Limerick the last day and we were delighted with him. His owner is keen to go to Galway with him, so I’d say he’ll go straight there. He is a nice horse and there are couple of races there for him either over seven furlongs or a mile. He’s only a three-year-old and he has the scope to improve a nice bit this year.
DINKUM DIAMOND
10yo b g (20789-506)
Aussie Rules - Moving Diamonds
Eight Star Syndicate
He is a grand old horse that I think will be competitive in handicaps over seven furlongs to a mile. He appears to be in good form. We don’t work him at him and he is best fresh and we’ll find a race for him over the next couple of weeks and you can’t have him fresh enough. We just keep him ticking over at home and he’ll be kept busy during the summer as he likes a bit of decent ground.
DOWNTOWN REBEL
4yo bb g (0/P8006-)
Arch - Downtown Drifter
Pat Garvey
He is a hard horse to get fit and is a very lazy horse at home. We’ll try and win a little race over a trip. He has grown up a bit since last year.
EACHARN
4yo g (345-2136)
Lilbourne Lad - Miss Eze
Mrs Lynne MacLennan & Miss Eimear E O’Brien
He is a nice horse that likes soft ground. He has just had a few little niggles and so we are going to give him a few easy weeks. I think when he is back right, he might go up the ratings a bit. He is a speedy little horse and he is better than what he has shown to date.
EMADEE
3yo b f (15-36)
Zebedee - Kenema
Countryman Synidcate
She is a gorgeous filly and she ran very well in the Listed Polonia Stakes at Naas last Sunday. The ground might have been a bit slow for her and Declan (McDonogh) thought that if he made more use of her she’d have been placed at worst (finished sixth to Mrs Gallagher).
I have no doubt that she is a stakes filly. She could go for a three-year-old only handicap at the Curragh. She is a very speedy filly and I can see her getting six and she should enjoy a good campaign.
FLOWERHILL NOVA
5yo b g (22321/06-)
Elnadim - Mac Melody
Men Of Forty Eight Syndicate
He is back in good form and he is ready to get started in a seven-furlong handicap at Naas tomorrow. He missed a good bit of time last year so hopefully we get a clear run with him now.
KENDWAR
4yo b g (0549-740)
Kendargent - Drosia
Mrs M Warren
He done his pelvis last year and I have a feeling that he is still not right, so we’ll leave him off and aim to have him back for the backend.
LADY SONIA
3yo b f (75640-)
Lord Shanakill - Little Live Wire
Hello Bang Bang Syndicate
She tries hard and her heart is in the right place. She’d like seven furlongs and would prefer a cut in the ground and there might be a little day in her.
MAYSONETTE
4yo f (73674249)
Mayson - La Sibilla
Gerard O’Leary
The ground dried up for her at Killarney and that probably accounts for an average enough performance that day. She ran well the time before that at Cork. She likes that soft ground and there should be a day in her in her own grade when on soft ground.
NAMAZEE
3yo b g (076-4)
Gio Ponti - Eagle Sound
Pat Garvey
He has had two runs for this this season and I thought he’d nearly win the last day at Dundalk only to get touched off - he finished fourth but was only beaten three quarters of a length.
He is a nice type of horse with very little mileage on the clock and he should be capable of being competitive on the grass on nice ground. Declan felt that he was a bit unlucky the last day (at Dundalk) and he looks a horse that should win a couple for us over a mile or mile and a quarter.
NKHATA BAY
3yo b f (00-06)
Rip Van Winkle - Dawaama
W J Ryan
She has been a late developing filly that has found her own level and I think she is capable of winning a little handicap in her own grade. I think she’ll be appreciate a bit of nice ground, but she has handled it soft as well. She will be fine over seven furlongs or a mile.
RIP ROCKS PADDY OK
3yo b g (780-)
Rip Van Winkle - Marula
Padraig Mullins
He was weak and backward last year but he appears to have improved over the winter and I’d like to think that he’ll be competitive at his own level in handicaps going a distance. He’d like an ease in the ground.
SEA THE SPRAY
3yo gr g (980-)
Kendargent - Orikawa
David Armstrong
He had just the three runs last year but he has strengthened up nicely over the winter and is starting to show us a bit more at home. I’d expect him to hold his own in handicaps this year on soft ground.
SHARJAH
8yo b g (7926461773)
Shamardal - Lunar Lustre
Mrs S Slattery
He is in super form and he will mix it away on the flat and over hurdles. The problem is that the ground is rarely fast enough for him over hurdles. If we had him 20 years ago when there was no watering, he would have been a right summer horse, but they rarely allow fast ground over hurdles anymore so he will run in handicaps on the flat. We kept him busy at Dundalk and he loves that fast surface up there.
SMART STINGER
4yo ch f (0/564721-7)
Dominus - Float And Sting
Pat Garvey
We ran her the last day over a mile and a quarter as there were no races coming up for her over a mile and we’ll now look for a nice handicap back over a mile the next day. She has come on a nice bit for that run at Dundalk and I think she is capable of winning a couple of handicaps on nice ground during the summer.
SPIRIT OF THE RAIN
5yo ch m (766/50-)
Thewayyouare - Queen Victoria
J.R. Stroud
She is back on the go again and she appears to be in very good form. She is a low grade handicapper, but she tries hard and has a great attitude. She might be able to win a little race over a mile and a half plus.
SPIORAD SAOIRSE
3yo b g (51480-73)
Iffraaj - Alsalwa
Men Of Forty Eight Syndicate
He is a great moving horse and he has been crying out for good ground which he looks like getting at Naas tomorrow. He ran well at Navan the last day so we’re hopeful he can go well. I think he’ll develop into a premier handicap horse over a mile and a quarter this season. He will make some jumper for somebody down the road, but for now I think he has the potential to do well in some nice races on the flat.
SORS
6yo b g (6285096-6167)
Acclamation - Maid of Ailsa
Men Of Forty Eight Syndicate
He has been a great servant, but he is just under performing at the moment for whatever reason. In fairness he missed the break the last day and he owes nothing overall. Andrew is going to ride him at Navan today, over the same course and distance they won over earlier in the season so we’d be hopeful he can go well. He’ll be aimed at all those good sprint handicaps during the summer. He is as good over five or six and ground isn’t an issue for him.
VIEW THE BAY
3yo b f (-2)
Casamento - Princess Kyka
O.D. Kueres
She had a nice run at Dundalk and we just gave her a bit of a chance after that. She’ll be ready to start back in one of those five/six furlong maidens on the grass in about a month’s time. We like her and she will improve.
VERSE OF VIENNA
3yo b f (050-)
Arcano - Hunting Goddess
P Brady
She had three runs last year and I think she’ll be capable of holding her own in handicaps this season. She did well over the winter and she isn’t that far off a run.
TWO-YEAR-OLDS
DECISIVE ACTION
2yo c (1)
Rip Van Winkle - Shared Experience
Mrs M.C. Slattery
He won at the first time of asking at the Curragh last week and I think he has the potential to develop into a very nice horse. We’ll take our time with him. He is bred to want a trip so for him to win last week over six was a very good performance. There has been a good but of interest in him since he won and I have no plan as such for him. He could well end up going to Naas in October for the final of the Forans EBF Series. He is smart horse and he will improve plenty. He always worked well and held his own with the older horses at home.
MID WINSTER
2yo f Burwaaz - Cayman Fox
We like her and her work at home has been good. She does everything right and we’ll look for a six-furlong maiden for her around the start of July. She goes well and has plenty of pace.
OFFLINE
2yo b c (1)
Requinto - Poppy’s Rose
Mrs Christina Phelan
He runs in the Listed Rochestown Stakes tomorrow at Naas. He was impressive when he won at Dundalk and I think he has improved a fair bit since. He was working like a mid-80s/90 horse before he won, but I think he is a good bit better than that. We’ll see how tomorrow goes first but we are looking at the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot for him. He is a big horse with loads of scope and he looks a horse that will make into a smashing sort next year. His work has improved no end. He was actually sold, and he passed the vet, but the deal fell through. It might all be for luck as he looks a very smart horse and as I said, his work at home against the older horses is to a very high standard.
UNNAMED
Mastercraftsman - We’ll Go Walking
Pat Garvey
He goes well but he is big and raw and will take a bit of time, so it will be the backend before we’ll start him off.
UNNAMED
Lethal Force - Rotunda
Brendan O’Sullivan.
He works well but is more of a backend type. He is just a small bit backward and will take a bit of time but he is growing all the time and I can see him making into a nice horse for the second half of the year.
UNNAMED
Dandy Man – Distinguished
Kevin Welsh
He went to the sales but he was just a bit weak so we brought him home and he has done very well since and he will start off in about a month to six weeks’ time.
UNNAMED
Zebedee - Melodize
Men Of Forty Eight Syndicate
He is about six weeks off a run. He has plenty done, but we are just giving him a little chance. We like him and he goes well.
UNNAMED
Roderic O’Connor - Sophie Germain
She is a half-sister to Creggs Pipes and like her sister, she is tough and hardy. She loves her work and we’ll have her out around the end of June. Creggs Pipes got better racing and I’d expect her to do also.
UNNAMED
Slade Power - Ebrah
He is probably our best two-year-old but he had a little setback. He is back on the go again now and he is about five/six weeks off a run. We like him.
UNNAMED
War Command - Abama Lady
She picked up a little injury, so it will be mid-summer before we’ll get her going. Her work suggests that she’ll be competitive in maidens on a bit of nice ground.
UNNAMED
Vale Of York - Grand Treasure
He is nice horse that we’ll get started in a few weeks. He goes well at home and is a likeable type of horse.