APPRENTICE Keithen Kennedy rode a double at Bellewstown on Friday evening. Daonethatgotaway initiated the brace when winning the Smiths Of Drogheda Ford Classic Handicap.
Trained by Mark Fahey, the 7/1 chance kept on well to win by three-quarters of a length from Rampage (7/1).
Fahey said: “He’s tough, he’s genuine. He loves to get into a bit of a bumping match, he came alive. They are a great bunch of lads (Up The Blues Syndicate) and they follow him everywhere.
“They are lucky to get a horse like that and they appreciate him, they know how lucky they are to have him. He’s a consistent horse and Keithen gets on well with him.
“Keithen is actually from Monasterevin so they all know each other, they are all neighbours and having good craic. He just keeps surprising us every day and we don’t know how far he can go.”
Making waves
Kennedy completed his double when partnering Sea Coral to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden for his boss Jessica Harrington.
Sent off 16/1, the J.P. O’Flaherty-owned filly belied those odds to score by a length and three-quarters from 13/8 favourite Jannah Star.
Harrington said: “She stays very well. She was second in a barrier trial last year. We were very disappointed when she ran as a two-year-old and we have given her time.
“She has strengthened up and she stays very well. We got her to relax - half the time she thought she was quicker than she was. A mile and a half, a mile and six I think.”
Empty wallet strikes gold
Nicola Burns won the Irish EBF Median Sires Series (C & G) Maiden on the Ger Lyons-trained Empty Wallet. Carrying the colours of Sean Jones, the 7/1 chance came from last to first, to win by a length from Camden Fort (11/1).
Lyons later commented: “She’s a very intelligent young lady and is a lovely kid. We knew he would stay and we knew the other one (third-placed Carwyn) would stay.
“I get a great thrill out of winning for Sean, he has been with me forever. He’s probably a nursery-type horse. He’s a big, scopey horse and he should get better with age. We’ll see where that brings us, I wouldn’t have any big, major plans with him.”
ABIDING Star made all under Leigh Roche to land the Landy, Muldoon & Co Maiden. Sent off 5/1, the Paddy Hayes-trained filly just lasted home to win by a short head from 15/8 favourite Viamonte in the colours of Rachel Hayes.
Roche reported: “She winged the gates the last day in Down Royal too. With those hardened handicappers, they can go with you in a battle. We said sharp five here, and in maiden company have them on their heads, and you might be able to steal it. She did, in fairness.
“She gave me everything and I was all out at the road and, in fairness to her, whatever she had left she gave me. Chris’ wife owns her and she is over in France. I might get something out of him, maybe a pint or something!”
Slattery’s purple patch
Trainer Andy Slattery continued an excellent few days as My Girl Sioux won the Golden Kilowatt Handicap. Partnered by son Andrew (Slattery), the 4/1 chance led a furlong out, keeping on well to score by a length from 5/2 favourite Hero Of The Hour for owner Maurice F Aherne.
Assistant trainer Brian Slattery said: “She is ultra-consistent. She has her level, but she runs to her level every day and she picks up cheques. She likes a fast pace to aim at and they went fast there and came back to her.
“That’s her ideal set up. You’ll keep seeing her and she’ll keep running away. She’s actually in foal to The Antarctic and I think she has until the middle of September.”
GOD Knows won the opening Meath Farm Machinery Claiming Race for Dick Brabazon and Seamie Heffernan. Sent off 7/1, the mare stayed on well close home to beat In The Minus by a neck.
Brabazon said of the six-year-old, who he also owned and bred: “We always liked the filly but obviously if you’re a year off things go wrong.
“We just had to drop her in class and see could we get a win. She’s a filly I thought could be in good handicaps, but just things go wrong. Obviously, we got her patched up and she performed there. He (Heffernan) just said going out ‘I think she is a different class than these’.
“If someone takes her, they take her. I’d be doing everything to keep her only I bred her, so I have others. If someone else goes on and wins races, I would be delighted.”
Paul Sweeney subsequently claimed God Knows.
1-2 for McCourt
Celtic Druid led home a 1-2 for trainer Tom McCourt when beating stablemate Maxwell Smart in the concluding Dore & Co Solicitors Handicap.
Ridden by Robert Whearty, the 9/1 chance stayed on strongly to beat Maxwell Smart (5/2) by a length and a half for owners Pints and Punters Syndicate and Ms Denise McCourt.
The winning trainer commented: “We are just getting it right with the trip. I trained the half-sister, Lady Scathach, and she was seven (furlongs) to a mile. This one always showed us enough pace at home to do that.
“That’s kind of what I had in my head until he ran in Limerick and was just very one paced. Up to a mile and one in Leopardstown, he improved. Robert thought he would see out a mile and a half no problem. He’s a grand horse.”