THE Paddy Twomey-trained Showcasing filly Super Sox followed up last year’s win in the Listed NFP Irish EBF Platinum Stakes at Cork on Thursday evening.
Prominent thrSoughout under Chris Hayes, the 3/1 chance was pushed along to maintain a slender lead over a furlong out. Strongly pressed by Gutsy Girl inside the last 150 yards, the Dowager Countess of Harrington-owned four-year-old stuck her neck out bravely to score by a head.
Twomey said of his filly: “She won this race last year and likes straight tracks and good ground. She definitely stepped forward from her run in Naas and hopefully she will step back into group company. She has the speed for six but seven furlongs is a good trip for her.”
Feature double
Elana Osario completed a significant feature race double for Twomey when taking the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Give Thanks Stakes. Coming through to press Island Hopping inside the final quarter mile, the Lope De Vega filly took a narrow advantage inside the final furlong and, despite receiving a bump from Island Hopping about 100 yards out, the 7/2 shot kept on well under Colin Keane to win by half a length.
Twomey said: “She is a progressive filly, and I’d say she has got stronger with time. She has always been a nice filly and has been with me since she was a yearling. She never ran as a two-year-old and only made her debut on this night last year and has never stopped improving since. I’d say Robert (Moran, owner) will leave her in training at five so hopefully she keeps improving.
“She had to battle and she was a filly coming out of handicaps taking on a filly that was third in an Oaks, so it was a big ask.I’m delighted that she was up to it.”
PRECISE came forward from her debut run to land the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden for Aidan O’Brien.
Always prominent, the Jack Cleary-partnered 3/1 shot kept on strongly inside the final furlong to score by two and three quarter lengths for owners Smith/ Magnier/Tabor/Westerberg.
Ballydoyle representative Chris Armstrong said: “She had a lovely run the first day in Fairyhouse with Wayne (Lordan). He liked her and thought stepping up to seven would help her.
“She’s a filly that is held in high regard and is well entered up. It could be worth having a look at something like the Ingabelle (at Leopardstown on Champions Weekend) and she is one to look forward to.”
O’Brien and Cleary doubled up as Two For Joy made most of the running to land the Irish Stallion Farms Irish EBF Fillies Maiden.
Sent off 14/1, having failed to trouble the judge on her first two starts, the daughter of Wootton Bassett looked much more streetwise on this third appearance. Soon in front, the filly led market leader Tswalu for the first mile of the contest. Strongly pressed and briefly headed over a furlong out, Two For Joy showed the greater resolve to regain the advantage over a furlong from home.
Keeping on strongly inside the final furlong, the Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier and Michael Tabor-owned filly scored by three quarters of a length.
Chris Armstrong reported: “Wayne rode her in Down Royal where she disappointed the last day and he said to take the blinkers off her and she is far better than that run.
“Jack gave her a lovely ride. She set a solid tempo throughout, and she kept finding when the other filly came to her. She is a big filly and just took time to fill her frame.
“She could be aimed at something like the Oyster Stakes (at Galway) or even those races in Naas at the backend. If we could get some blacktype for her it would be an added bonus. It’s a double for Jack who is incredible value for his 5lb claim.”
Progressive
The David Marnane-trained Soulful Diva stepped forward from her first two runs when causing a 50/1 upset in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. Held up towards rear by Nathan Crosse, the Amy and Olivia Marnane-owned filly came through to track the leaders over a furlong out.
Moving through on the far side to lead overall with less than 150 yards to race, the outsider stayed on strongly to hold the fast-finishing market leader Dawn Romance by a head.
David Marnane commented: “She had a lovely run in Naas and some of those two-year-olds of Con’s weren’t quite right during the year so we backed off them. It’s good to see her bounce back.
“It was a good performance as she would have needed today’s run. She quickened up well and just took a blow going to the line.”
TALENTED apprentice Sam Coen was once again seen to great effect as he made all on the Willie McCreery-trained Asdana to win the Curragh To Curragh Charity Cycle On Saturday, August 30th Handicap.
Smartly out of stalls, the top-weight soon held a slender lead from Titan Sun who chased the pace in the centre of the track. Pushed along to assert over a furlong out, the well-backed 11/4 favourite kept on strongly inside the final furlong to win by three quarters of a length.
Willie McCreery said: “She’s a grand filly and I’m delighted for Michael and Dymphna Deegan who also own Insinuendo. She showed good pace and I think she’ll be a little bit better on softer ground.
“They water well down here and it’s a beautiful track. I thought it was important to take a few pounds off her back with top-weight.”
First victory
Long-standing maiden Famous Enough finally registered a first career victory when landing the concluding Follow Us On Social Media Handicap.
Sent off 5/1 under Niall McCullagh, the Patrick Foley-trained gelding tracked the leaders in fourth, before coming through to throw down his challenge early in the straight. Leading over two furlongs out, the Patrick Meany-owned five-year-old quickened up well to win by three and a quarter lengths.
Foley said: “He’s been fairly consistent all season and probably deserved it. The biggest problem we had was getting him into a race being rated under 40. We were hoping he’d get into Gowran last night as we thought the trip might be a bit sharp for him today. We left the hood off and he travelled a lot sweeter than his last couple of races.”