JOCKEYS’ championship rivals Colin Keane and Dylan Browne McMonagle scored with a winner apiece at Cork on Tuesday, where defending champion Keane collected the featured Irish Stallion Farms EBF Navigation Stakes on Purview (11/5 favourite).

Initially held up in rear, Keane produced the Juddmonte-owned son of Kingman to lead inside the final furlong before scoring readily from Cadogan.

Winning trainer Dermot Weld was represented by his son Kris, who reported: “It was a pleasing performance and he is a very talented colt. We thought today’s race would suit him and, thankfully, it has worked out well. Colin gave him a lovely ride.

“We hadn’t looked beyond today and Dad will have a word with the Abdullah family and Barry (Mahon, racing manager) and come up with a plan. Hopefully, it is onwards and upwards now.”

Late lunge

Browne McMonagle had earlier landed the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Fillies) Handicap on the Willie McCreery-trained Winters Breath (9/1), which scored a last-gasp short-head win over Likedbymike.

Regarding the winning three-year-old, Browne McMonagle, who left the course leading Keane by 83-78, reported: “She is straightforward, had a good run the last day and stepping up a furlong today was always going to help.

“I kept it smooth, she gets the trip well, but rolled around a little bit in the last furlong, so would have been unlucky if she didn’t get up. She is still a baby, hasn’t many miles on the clock and is probably only going to get faster with experience.”

Gamble landed

There was a gamble landed in the Mallow Handicap as the Gavin Cromwell-trained Ukiyo (100/30 joint-favourite, from morning 25s) scored a maiden success for the First Law Syndicate.

The Kuroshio-sired filly had finished well held on her previous handicap outings in July, but returning following a break, scored readily by a length and a quarter from Sovereign Banter.

Jockey Robert Whearty reported: “Everything suited, but I think going up to seven furlongs could even bring about more improvement.

“We were hopeful of her running a nice race as it didn’t look to be an overly strong race on paper. I’m glad to get the job done.”

THE 5lb-claimer Jack Cleary enjoyed a bonanza with success in Saturday’s Goffs Million on Aidan O’Brien’s Dorset and again combined with the trainer and owners Coolmore to win with Bloom (5/1) in the Irish EBF (Fillies) Maiden.

The daughter of Wootton Bassett raced behind the leaders and improved past leader Ifweonlyhavelove in the closing stages for a half-length success.

“Ben Coen rode her the first day at Leopardstown last month where she ran nicely in a maiden, which has turned out to be not too bad,” stable representative Chris Armstrong commented.

“A mile is no problem at the moment and she’ll have no problem going further. She is in the mix for the Silken Glider Stakes (Curragh) and could have a touch of class as a three-year-old.

“River Ara missed the break and was timid around horses, but will be a nice maiden to try and get a win into before the end of the season.”

Consecutive wins

Lightly-weighted and Jessica Harrington-trained Falls Of Acharn (6/1) was an easy winner of the Port Of Cork Handicap, following up a recent success for owner Kate Harrington.

A Leopardstown maiden winner in August, the son of Sea The Moon travelled well for most of the race and scored by a length and three quarters from Mathan.

“He is a nice horse who Kate has been trying to get sold for a while, but I’ve been anxious to keep him,” jockey, Foley, remarked. “He had quite an attractive mark and, when I saw he had 8st 8lb, I told Kate he’d be alright with 1lb over!

“He was keen early, so I had to take him out of it a bit but got him to relax. He tends to rush things, but I think he is a nice horse and has done it well. He could end up being a nice handicapper and will be a nice horse to have.”

Making all

Nakamura (9/2) was another to complete consecutive wins, landing the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Nursery for trainer Johnny Murtagh, jockey Ben Coen and the Brunabonne Syndicate.

A winner in Navan in August, Nakamura today made all for a comfortable success over Cisterna, with Murtagh’s assistant Denis Lenihan commenting: “He is a tough, likeable horse who stuck it out well.

“He travelled really well in the headgear and, I would think, it is on to the Birdcatcher (in Naas) now. The syndicate have a few nice horses with us, they have had plenty of luck and are a great bunch of lads.”

AENGUS King has his string of horses in fine fettle and the Clare owner/trainer landed the concluding Follow Us On X Handicap with La Tulipe Noire (16/1), which scored under a well-judged ride from Jessica O’Gorman (see page 9).

Racing with the pace throughout, the daughter of Berkshire rallied to regain the lead in the closing stages to score by a half-length from Micasso.

King commented: “We had the best pilot (Seamie Heffernan) on board the last day and afterwards he said she should win a race. He said she wasn’t giving 100% but we knew that, as she works like a better horse at home.

“She comes into season an awful lot but she travelled and seems to be okay today. Jessica was very good on her as I thought we had it lost after the bend but, when she got after her, the mare put in a genuine run. We are over the moon with this and have five in training and all have won. We’re a stable going full whack!”

Storming home

Racing began with the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, which went to the Andy Slattery-trained Tornado Kiss (8/11 favourite), under his son Andrew Slattery.

Runner-up on both her previous starts, Tornado Kiss quickened nicely to score by a half-length from Bad Boy Rizz.

Trainer Slattery stated: “We initially thought she wanted soft ground, but Andrew thinks she wouldn’t want the ground to be any slower than that. We felt soft ground in Naas got her beaten the last day, but she has a lot of speed.

“I’ll talk to [owners] Paul (Cashman) and the Rathbarry team, but we’ll look at the Cornwallis Stakes now in Newmarket, which is the only listed race left. It depends what they want to do.

“She has a good pedigree and looks like she will improve next year, when she matures.”