AMO Racing, joint-owner Giselle De Aguiar and trainer Adrian Murray combined for Cork doubles on Saturday, with their initial winner Jaliyah likely to step into stakes company following a surprise win in the SIS, Supporting Irish Racing Race.

Jaliyah (12/1) was the apparent second-string in today’s race having finished second to stablemate Carolina Jetstream at Dundalk in February but, under jockey Wayne Lordan, quickened from the rear to lead inside the final furlong to score by a neck from Emit.

Amo’s representative Ryan McElligott reported: “Adrian and Robson (Aguiar) always felt she was a filly with stakes potential and has shown that there today.

“The logical step now is to look at a stakes race and there is the Naas Listed Oaks Trial for her next on May 10th. She is also in the German 1000 Guineas but that is coming back to a mile so maybe Naas would be the logical race.

“Billy (Lee) said Carolina Jetstream (finished fourth) just struggled on the ground. She had done her winning at Dundalk and had largely been racing on a sound surface so we found out today that we need to avoid soft with her.”

Winning Game

Murray, Amo and De Aguiar later landed the Buy Tickets Online And Save Handicap with the Colin Keane-partnered What’s Your Game (4/1), which scored by a half-length on handicap debut.

Afterwards McElligott said: “He had a couple of nice runs on the all-weather and we felt stepping up to a mile and a half would be a big plus. He has a good attitude and having won a competitive three-year-old handicap, you would be thinking of something nicer next.

“There is a nice three-year-old handicap next month but it’s over 10 (furlongs) so he’d be coming back in trip. Long term, he is a likely horse for premier handicaps over a mile and a half.”

Family success

Father and daughter, trainer Robbie Burns and jockey Nicola Burns combined to win the SIS, Supporting Irish Racing Handicap with their old favourite Genuine Jim (4/1 favourite), which defeated runner-up Notforalongtime by one and a quarter lengths.

Afterwards Burns senior stated: “I was glad to see the rain coming as I thought Leopardstown the last day was on the quick side for him. Cork is a place you can go forward from a wide draw so you don’t really pay the price.

“Nicola rode her first winner on him back in October so he is special to us and Tony McLoughlin, the owner, is a very good supporter of ours. He couldn’t be here today but will be delighted with that.”

THE Paddy Twomey-trained Currawood (9/4) ran out an impressive winner of the featured Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Race, when initiating a double for jockey Billy Lee.

Previously a Dundalk maiden winner, the son of Acclamation today sprinted clear of two 94-rated rivals when scoring easily by five and a half lengths from Rowdy Yeats.

Twomey reported: “I was hoping he would come and do something like that. I hadn’t factored in soft ground but it is what it is, and this race was in the programme for him,” Twomey commented.

“He has run five times now, has won his last two starts and is a solid horse. He takes racing well and we might look at the Tetrarch Stakes in a couple of weeks next.”

Tough performance

Jockey Lee later combined with trainer Andy Oliver to win the Easter Festival April 19th - 21st Handicap with Team Valor’s Apercu (9/2), which defeated 15 rivals when scoring by a half-length from Lope De Lilas.

Oliver stated: “10 furlongs is probably her trip as she gets it well but an opportunity presented itself over a mile at the Curragh last month so we ran her. It was a pleasing run so we were quite hopeful coming here.

“Billy said she put herself everywhere he wanted her and jumped out and travelled well. I thought Willie’s filly had her covered but she really battled back so it was a tough performance. She would probably get further and seems versatile.”

Owner Paddy Woods, jockey Ben Coen and trainer Johnny Murtagh combined to win the SIS, Supporting Irish Racing Maiden with Nautical Force (100/30 favourite), which scored on seasonal reappearance when scoring by a length and three-quarters from Arouet.

Woods, winner of the 2019 Corinthian Challenge, reported: “Eddie Linehan sourced him for me and he ran twice last year, finishing fourth in a good maiden at the Curragh and then he ran at Gowran, when he was just weak. If you look at him now, he is still unfurnished.

“He was with Conor Hoban (pre-trainer) for a spell before coming back and had been working well. I haven’t ridden him myself as Johnny won’t let me! It’ll be a premier handicap somewhere next. Johnny isn’t here so we’ll wait and see.”

RACING began with the Dermot Weld-trained, Newtown Anner Stud-owned-and-bred Jagged Edge (9/2) landing the Welcome To Racing Home For Easter Maiden, under jockey Chris Hayes.

Held up behind the leaders, Jagged Edge led over two furlongs out and finished well to beat Omni Man by two lengths.

Son Kris Weld later reported: “He had a good run at Dundalk and it was just whether or not he’d handle the slower ground today, but we thought he would.

“We’ll see where he fits in in the coming weeks but he showed a good attitude and won well at the line. We’ll feel our way gently and you’d have to love his attitude.”

The Michael O’Meara-trained Plunkett Street (5/1) survived a stewards’ enquiry to win the concluding Racing Again Tomorrow Handicap, under jockey Leigh Roche.

The winner drifted right in the final two furlongs and while he impeded runner-up Grizabella, held that rival by an eased-down half-length. The result of the subsequent enquiry appeared with the first-past-the-post holding the race.

Afterwards O’Meara reported: “He lugs right-handed and leans a lot but likes soft ground. The ground suited today and hopefully there’ll be another handicap in him.

Roche added: “He got a nice easy lead in front and probably enjoys that but whatever it is with him going right-handed. He hung the whole way and I changed my stick into my right hand from a mile out.”