FIRST and third in last year’s renewal of the Seamus Mulvaney Bookmaker, Crockafotha (Q.R.) Race over a mile and a half at Bellewstown, Lark In The Mornin and Weston filled the same positions in the 2026 version. The latter tried to make all, but was headed a furlong out by the 4/6 favourite, who just needed a couple of late reminders to hold on by half a length from Can Happen.
Winner of the Fred Winter at Cheltenham in 2024, Lark In The Mornin is trained by Joseph O’Brien for Sean and Bernardine Mulryan.
Winning rider Patrick Mullins said: “John Gleeson couldn’t be in two places at once, so he won the bumper in Limerick - I know the feeling!
“It was great to get the call up and he’s a classy horse. Joseph said speed more than stamina would be his key here, so I just wanted to wait as long as I could.”
Too easy for Dream
Despite getting quite worked up and proving difficult to load into stalls, the Leigh Roche-ridden Dream Legend (9/2 favourite) made short work of his 14 rivals in the Champion Lettings Handicap, for three-year-olds only, over a mile.
A winner over course and distance in April, the 9/2 favourite led from early in the straight to win by an eased-down five and a half lengths from Cause I Like You.
The Twilight Son gelding was bred, and is owned and trained, by the Delany family, closely associated with the Co Meath venue which, in August, will celebrate 300 years of racing.
Alan Delany, assistant to his father Eamon, said: “I knew this race was coming up, and I gave him a break for four or five weeks and brought him back. He filled out, improved, and got so strong. I don’t think he has finished improving either.”
JOHNNY Murtagh’s Celtic Moon (2/1 joint-favourite) reversed Leopardstown placings with Cashel Queen to win the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Fillies Maiden over a mile.
A daughter of Joseph O’Brien’s 2020 National Stakes winner Thunder Moon, the David Kelly-owned winner headed O’Brien’s newcomer, and fellow joint-favourite Party In Vegas, inside the final furlong and scored by a length and a quarter from the staying-on Cashel Queen.
“She had a lovely run at Leopardstown on ground that would probably be a bit slow for her,” reported jockey Ben Coen. “It pays to have a run under your belt coming here, and I got a nice run through.”
Fine art from Micasso
On his last ride in Ireland before beginning a lengthy suspension, Seamie Heffernan booted home a winner as Micasso (22/1) took the Ploughman Bar And Grill Handicap over a mile.
The evergreen jockey rides in the Deutsches Derby at Hamburg on Sunday, after which he’ll be sidelined until the middle of August. The 46-rated Micasso, runner-up at Cork last year, swept down the outside to beat Tortola by a length and a quarter in a finish of outsiders.
Winning owner/trainer Donal Kinsella said: “He’s a different animal altogether this year. He chipped a bone in his knee, and we sent him up to the vet Eric Smith in Armagh and whatever he says, I would believe.
“He’s called Micasso because the man (Michael Keogh), who bred him, likes to paint! Seamie and I have been playing around for years and this is our first winner together.”
MEL Sheridan rode the second winner of his career when getting Numidia (25/1) up in the final stride to beat market leader Jurality by a nose in the McNallys Pharmacy Apprentice Handicap over one mile, six furlongs.
Owner/trainer Peter Lawlor, based in Hollywood, Co Wicklow, said: “He was trapped on the rails there, one in front and one alongside him and, in all fairness to the young fella, he found his way out of it. He’s a brother of Joey, so he would be well taught anyway.”
On his first start for owner/trainer Katie McGivern, Grayrobin (9/1) took the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden over five furlongs. On the speed throughout under Chris Hayes, the Havana Grey colt went on over a furlong out to beat Annie Batt by three-parts of a length.
“We missed the breeze-ups with this horse,” said McGivern. “He was never meant to be in training. We had a virus in the yard, he literally couldn’t travel because he had a temperature of 40 and it was a no-go. I was devastated.
’I do think a lot of him’
“I sent him to Archie Watson and he ran poor at Nottingham, but it was a first run. I do think a lot of him, I think he would have made a few quid at the breeze-up had he been there, but we missed it. You just have to take it on the chin.”
Owned by the Kathmag Syndicate, Rosie Frith (13/2) made all to beat four rivals in the Indaver Ireland Handicap. Colin Keane rode the five-furlong specialist, who repelled market leader Namiid by three-quarters of a length.
“We have been knocking on the door, struggling to get a winner, so it is great to kind of kick off the season,” said Shercock-based trainer, Paddy Magee.
“She went to Cork and it was very heavy ground and didn’t handle it, went to Epsom and got soft ground as well. It is great to have her back and we will probably be going for a premier handicap, and maybe trying to get a bit of blacktype then.”