Curragh classics: Saturday May 18th is a classic day at the Curragh, with both the Irish 1000 and 2000 Guineas being run. The front page of today’s paper has a photo of Giolla Mear, owned by the President, a fancy for the colt’s race. But tipster “Formor” selects Candy Cane and Mick Hurley’s charge is also selected by other tipsters, “Newman” and Dave Baker.
For the 1000 Guineas, the three are split. “Formor” goes for Glad One; “Newman” selects Sovereign; while Baker chooses Rimark.
The front page also has an article, written by “Formor”, examining the Epsom Derby, which is 11 days away. The position of Sir Ivor as favourite has hardened this week following the Dante Stakes at York – even though Sir Ivor was not running!
On Tuesday, the Dante Stakes is won by Lucky Finish, trained by Jack Leader, a horse who is not entered for Epsom. Society, trained by Paddy Prendergast, and earmarked as an outside chance for the Derby, does not enhance his prospects by finishing fourth. His price goes out to 40/1.
Wednesday sees the latest acceptance stage for the Epsom Derby, and among those taken out is last Saturday’s Leopardstown winner, Meadsville.
“Formor” welcomes the good betting figures from the Leopardstown meeting last weekend. He writes that this is a sign that the sport is finally coming out of the doldrums inflicted by the foot and mouth stoppage over the winter.
Downpatrick: The Downpatrick meeting was last weekend. The going is heavy for both Friday evening and the Saturday afternoon.
On Friday, young amateur rider, Mr Arthur Moore, rides his first double. Abletal defies 13 stone to win the amateurs’ handicap hurdle; later, Moore wins the concluding bumper on the 7/4 favourite Perisan Helen, trained by Mick O’Toole.
T.P. Burns rides a winner when Satanita takes the Strangford Plate; while at the other end of the experience scale, apprentice Christy Roche rides Gay Bruce to win the Tyrella Handicap.
On Saturday afternoon, trainer George Rogers scores a double with Chukker and Newman Noggs. Tommy Murphy has a winner over hurdles as Buddy Boy takes the opening maiden hurdle.
Home Alone wins the Quoile Novice Chase, ridden by Cathal Finnegan.
Racing at Leopardstown: Leopardstown hosts the racing on Saturday afternoon and the going is yielding. Feature race is the Player-Wills Stakes, over a mile and two furlongs and 50 yards, for a nice prize of £4,348 and 15 shillings. Ten go to post, and after a struggle, the winner is Meadsville, ridden by Colin Williams. They beat Ballygoran by a short-head, with Noblesse Oblige a length back in third.
The 6/1 winner, a son of Charlottesville, is trained by Stuart Murless. Runner-up Ballygoran is trained by Vincent O’Brien. Reporter Dave Baker writes that he believes that the Ballydoyle team are happy with Ballygoran’s run.
Jockey George McGrath rides a double, The opener is won by Rainbow King; and later, Desert Call impresses Baker with victory in the Gold Leaf Stakes over five furlongs. On his seasonal debut, he makes all the running, wins by a neck, and the remarks in the results section of the paper describes Desert Call as “the best sprinter in Ireland.” The son of Palestine is trained by Kevin Kerr.
Saturday concludes with a bumper. The evens favourite Escahar, trained by Charlie Weld and ridden by his son Dermot, wins by four lengths. This win means that there are 33 winning Jackpot tickets, and they each take home £290 and 12 shillings.
The Tote aggregate today is £42,975, substantially up on last year’s £35,340.
Leopardstown also stages a mixed card on Monday evening and the going remains yielding. The weather is good, and the attendance is large.
Most valuable race this evening is the Kingsway Amateur Handicap Hurdle, over two miles, worth £1,035. Victory goes to Saggart’s Choice, by a short head from Home Alone. The winner is 5/1, and is ridden by Mr Ned Cash. This is a third win in a row for the five-year-old, who is trained by Liam Brennan.
A horse completing four in a row is Albinella, who takes the Woodbine Chase under Bobby Coonan. The winner is 8/11 favourite, and is trained by Paddy Sleator.
Secret Venture is a horse who clearly likes Leopardstown, and he has his third victory at the track in the Picador Handicap. Johnny Roe rides the gelding to a two length victory at 2/1 favourite. Paddy Mullins trains him for his wife, Maureen.
The Tote aggregate this evening reaches £42,187, well up on last year’s total of £33,839.
Regular columnist “Pandora” writes: “I have never seen so many people at an evening meeting as there were at the Foxrock venue on Monday. Everyone seemed in the best of form because of the change of the weather.”
Raymond Guest: On Thursday evening, racing is at Limerick Junction and the going is yielding. Feature race is the Powhatan Stakes, over a mile and a half, worth £703. This is sponsored by Mr Raymond Guest, owner of many good horses, including Derby favourite Sir Ivor.
For the second year in a row, the Powhatan Stakes is won by a horse from the Seamus McGrath stable. Last year it was Heave Ho; this evening, it is Stitch, who wins at 9/2, ridden by George McGrath. The jockey finishes second in the other two flat races this evening. Lock Diamond and Paddy Neill win the Stand Maiden Plate for the Paddy Mullins stable; and later, the Barronstown Handicap goes to the 5/4 favourite Polar Polly, ridden by Tommy Murphy.
Caro Bello, aged four, who is a half-brother to Wrekin Rambler, is an impressive eight-length winner of the Pegsboro Hurdle, ridden by Timmy Hyde. The bumper is won again tonight by John Kiely, and this time he is on board Look Hard, who wins at 85/40 favourite.
Britain: Page three carries two articles from Britain. One is written by correspondent “Fleet Street” looking at the prospects for an English-trained victory in the Epsom Derby. Dante Stakes winner, Lucky Finish, has been well beaten by Sir Ivor in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. Also beaten at Newmarket was Connaught, trained by Noel Murless, and “Fleet Street” writes that “Connaught has resolutely refused to carry his home form to the course.”
“Fleet Street” points out that Connaught is getting some market support for the Derby, but based on racecourse form, he feels that Remand is the best hope for an English-trained success.
The second article is written by “C. McA.” and is a report on last weekend’s racing. At Kempton on Saturday, the Sceptre Stakes is won by Manacle, beating Be Friendly, with Porto Bello third. The winner is ridden by Brian Taylor. “C. McA.” writes that the runner-up is unlucky in running, but the result whets the appetite for further rematches between the two, starting with the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot next month.
Australian jockey Ron Hutchinson makes a rare visit to Newcastle and wins the Scottish and Newcastle Breweries Handicap on Mount Athos.
Vulgan: The successful stallion, Vulgan, has died at the age of 25. He stood at Blackrath Stud, Co Kildare. Foaled in 1943, Vulgan was by Sirlan, out of Vulgate. His racing career was in France and England, and his victories included the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot. He retired to Blackrath in 1951. Vulgan has been leading National Hunt sire in Britain for three of the past four years. His progeny includes Grand National winners Team Spirit and Foinavon.
O’Toole: Racing writer Maurice Ring pays a visit to the Curragh stables of trainer Mick O’Toole. Having previously been based at Scribblestown stables, near the Phoenix Park racecourse, O’Toole is now based at Maddenstown, with 152 acres and stabling for 72 horses. He has given up training greyhounds.
The article is accompanied by a photo of Mick O’Toole reading the Irish Racing Calendar, which is spread across the bonnet of a car. The car is a Mercedes Benz.
Stanley Baker: The centre pages of today’s paper contain a two-page spread of photographs from Leopardstown. Among those pictured is: “Actor Stanley Baker having a cup of tea on the lawn.” Other pictures include one of Meadsville being led in to the winner’s enclosure, and a picture of the presentation to Meadsville’s owners by Fred Clarke, racecourse manager. The photographer is not named.