SAM Curling saddled winners at three out of the four weekend meetings and the Skehanagh Stables handler was on the mark with newcomer Trinity Street in the four-year-old mares’ maiden at Sunday’s Muskerry Foxhounds fixture in Ballindenisk.
On an afternoon that saw 48 horses participating on the six-race card, Trinity Street (2/1 - 5/2 favourite) was held up off the pace by her owner Mrs Trish Hyde’s grandson Josh Williamson as Eagle River and Native Liberty took the eight runners along.
Edging closer from the third-last of the 12 obstacles, Trinity Street moved to the head of affairs approaching two out. The daughter of Mahler was clearly in command approaching the last, as she returned with five lengths in hand over Midnight Musical with a further three and a half lengths back to the staying-on Elite Ocean in third.
With Curling absent and at Stowlin where he was on the mark with The Great Unknown, the winning owner’s husband Timmy Hyde reported of Trinity Street: “Plans are fluid, but she will more than likely go to a sale.”
Trinity Street was acquired for €38,000 at last year’s Goffs Arkle sale and her dam is a half-sister to Nicky Henderson’s Ultima Handicap Chase winner Beware The Bear.
Family success
There was yet another family success in the five-year-old and upwards mares’ maiden as Roseeily (2/1 - 5/2) returned to the coveted number one slot under her owner/trainer Alex Ott’s son Andy Burke Ott.
The seven-year-old Roseeily, who failed to feature on her three previous starts this season, was bounced out in front and she never saw another rival. The hooded Roseeily stormed clear from after the second-last to dismiss newcomer Menina Diamante by 20 lengths.
“She’s a good staying mare and it’s great that she has won. Tom Lombard pre-trained her before she came to me and she’ll probably now go for a winners race,” said 12-horse handler Ott of Roseeily in whom breeder Phil Gould from Ballymacoda still holds an interest.
THE Sean Doyle-trained newcomer Adonedeal (3/1 - 5/1) came home as he pleased with Jamie Scallan in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden, the race that attracted the biggest field of the afternoon in 14 runners.
Adonedeal led from the first-fence and the Monbeg Partnership-owned bay got into a lovely rhythm at the head of affairs. Whilst holding just a slender advantage over Buck’s Chiron after three out, the winning son of Califet stormed clear before the second-last to put 17 lengths between himself and fellow first-timer Protect The Future with Anyoneforsnacks returning a further half-length adrift in third.
“Pat Sinnott and I own this horse together,” reported Sean Doyle of Adonedeal, a half-brother to three track winners. “I worked with Pat as a young lad at his yard in Caim and it’s great to have a winner with him. This horse will probably now go on to the sales in Doncaster.”
Debut winner
Sean Doyle’s younger brother Cormac Doyle, out of luck with Protect The Future, kept his supporters happy by saddling Indulto Rouge (2/1 - 5/2 favourite) to oblige at the first time of asking in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.
Indulto Rouge always travelled well close to the pace for Jack Hendrick and the Monbeg Farm Racing Partnership-owned chesnut moved through to lead over the third-last.
The victorious French-bred, a €46,000 Goffs Arkle sale graduate that’s out of a half-sister to Grade 1 Italian Chase winner Northerly Wind, was clearly possessing too many aces for his rivals from two out and he crossed the line with 18 lengths to spare over Skeeter Rock.
“I think that’s the best horse that I’ve ran all year and he will now go to a sale,” said handler Doyle of the Beaume De Houelle-sired Indulto Rouge.
THE 13 bookmakers experienced marginally the better of the exchanges throughout the course of the afternoon, with punters experiencing a respite courtesy of owner/trainer Johnny Collins’ Kent De Thaix, who justified favouritism with Michael Kenneally in the winners of one.
The five-year-old Kent De Thaix (4/5 – 4/6 favourite), winner of a Curraghmore maiden on his most recent start having previously come second in the vintage Castlelands contest won by Hydration Station in March, was held up at the rear of the field until moving closer from after three out.
The son of Cokoriko stormed through to challenge between horses approaching the final fence and, having touched down in from here, he asserted on the flat to dismiss long-time leader Beacon Storm by one and a half lengths.
The absent Collins, en route to the Arqana breeze up sale, joked at Curraghmore that he was married to Kent De Thaix having bought the bay as a foal in France.
That marriage, however, is now on the point of coming to an end as stable representative Liam O’Keeffe indicated that Kent De Thaix will be offered at the Goffs UK sale in Doncaster later this month.
Giant-sized
Gorey-based handler Marc Costello saddled an initial winner of the season with what was just his second runner of the campaign, as Some Spanner (4/1 - 5/1) made a victorious career debut under James Walsh in the six-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.
The giant-sized seven-year-old Some Spanner came through from mid-division to hit the front approaching two out and he then swept clear to dispose of favourite High Stool Profit, who sustained some interference turning into the home straight, by six lengths.
Some Spanner represents her handler’s partner Peggy Murphy, who shares the son of Craigsteel with fellow veterinarian Jim Tyrrell and the bay is now likely to contest a winners’ race.
Horse to Follow
Protect The Future (Cormac Doyle): A newcomer by Ascalon that’s a half-brother to Alan King’s former bet365 Gold Cup Chase winner Talkischeap, this chesnut more than acquitted himself by finishing second in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden. Whilst beaten some 17 lengths, he should easily win a maiden point before graduating to the racetrack proper.