BILLY Lee completed a Cork double on Tuesday, where the jockey landed the Cork Derby on the Henry de Bromhead-trained, Chris Jones-owned Ascending (100/30).
The six-year-old, who had previously failed in seven hurdle attempts, raced prominently and having led narrowly early in the home straight, kept on for a neck win over runner-up Satin, with just a half-length separating the first five finishers.
Lee reported: “This horse isn’t too bad and this is his minimum trip. He won at his ease over two miles in Dundalk and got put up plenty for it, but he is a good horse and there’s a good handicap in him.
“I had to go forward and, to be fair to him, he quickened well down the straight. He was headed, but battled back gamely. I think once he steps back up in trip again, you’ll see a better horse.”
Initiating the double
Lee had earlier landed the Annual Membership Available Maiden on the Paddy Twomey-trained newcomer City Of Memphis (8/13 favourite), which travelled strongly and scored by two and three-quarter lengths from Bonus Time.
Regarding his €370,000 breeze-up purchase, Twomey commented: “We bought her off Katie Walsh at the breeze-ups last year and just waited with her. We haven’t looked much, but she has plenty of ability and, everything she does, she does with ease.
“We were confident coming here that she would run a good race and I’m delighted she has won. When you go to the breeze-up sale, you pay your money and take your chance.
“We’ve been lucky with Alan (O’Flynn, owner). He asked me to buy him fillies in the past few years and we got Purple Lily the first year and now this one, so he has two nice fillies. We’ll take her home now, and aim to go up the grades, hoping to get blacktype.”
Cecelia halts the hat-trick
Lee and Twomey were out of luck in the opening Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden, as their Rogue Legend (5/6 favourite) was second to Oh Cecelia (5/1). Ridden by James Ryan, Oh Cecelia led a furlong out and defeated the staying-on Rogue Legend by a length and a half.
Regarding his New Recruits partnership-owned winner, trainer Jack Davison stated: “That was super and she is a good filly. I ran her the first day (of the season) on heavy ground, where she was just touched off and performed so well just on ability. She is a fast filly who wants today’s fast ground to show her speed.
“We have two runs now and I would love to have a filly for Royal Ascot. She wants fast ground, she is fast and is improving, so we will consider the Queen Mary Stakes.”
FEATURE race was the €52,500 Listed Goffs Irish EBF Polonia Stakes, which was won by English runner First Instinct (4/1), for trainer William Haggas, jockey Chris Hayes and owners Dunchurch Lodge Stud.
The daughter of Bated Breath raced with the leaders, led over a furlong out and finished well to hold fast-finishing Town And Country by a head.
Hayes said: “I love when Mr Haggas sends horses to Ireland, as we have a great strike-rate together and there is never any complications. He was bullish with this filly and thought she had a good chance.
“She jumped so fast coming out of the gates that I nearly came off, but she got into her stride really quick. I was able to use Seamie (Heffernan, on Grande Marques) as my lead horse and had no worries.
“I spoke to Tom (Marqand) and he thought the drier ground would suit. Tom said she was fresh for her last run in Bath, but was good as gold today and was very professional.”
Aiming for Ascot
David Marnane is again eyeing Royal Ascot next month, with the Book Tickets At CorkRacecourse.ie Handicap winner Tokenomics (4/1).
Ridden by Luke McAteer, Tokenomics was registering a fourth success from 11 starts and, afterwards, Marnane said: “He is lovely and we think he is a Royal Hunt Cup horse. The plan was to come here, then to the Curragh for a mile handicap on Guineas weekend and then the Hunt Cup.
“We won the race with Settle For Bay in the past and he is a very similar horse. We wanted to see what he was like on the ground today and the flat track, so has come through that well.
“This horse was selling (from the trainer’s MRC International syndicate) but didn’t pass the vetting so didn’t make as much as anticipated. Niall (Molloy, owner) stepped in and bought him to keep him with us, so I’m delighted for him and his family, who have been huge supporters of ours.”
THE Noel Meade-trained Port Louis (9/1) landed the Racing Again Saturday Apprentice Handicap for owner Jimmy Kernohan and jockey Wayne Hassett.
Held up in midfield, the four-year-old was briefly short of room a furlong and a half out but finished well to beat Unterberg by a length. Hassett reported: “Noel (Meade) told me he can be quirky and keen, and I didn’t want to interfere with him too much. We went a good gallop as the rider in front lost her irons and I stayed in behind horses for as long as I could. Overall when I needed him, he was there and kept galloping away.”
Wide margin
Widest-margin winner, was seven-length victor Zahrann (1/3 favourite) in the concluding Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Maiden, scoring for trainer Johnny Murtagh, jockey Ben Coen and in the colours of the late Aga Khan.
Despite racing lazily, Zahrann scored easily, with Coen commenting: “He was on and off the bridle the whole way but, when I grabbed hold of him turning in, he really came alive. He quickened up smartly and lengthened the whole way to the line.That trip was very comfortable for him and an extra two furlongs will be within his compass as well. We thought he’d do that today, but it is nice to go and do it.”
Third time lucky
The Joseph O’Brien-trained Dawn Spirit (12/1) landed the Irish EBF Spring Series Median Auction Fillies Maiden on her third start, scoring for jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle and Al Shira’aa Racing.
Afterwards, Browne McMonagle stated: “She is a nice filly, has always shown more at home than in her two runs, but the last day she didn’t like being crowded. Today I broke well and was able to get up behind the leaders and I had a nice target to aim at. She is a big filly and will probably improve plenty from her first start of the year in the Curragh and hopefully it is onwards and upwards now. I’m sure she’ll have no problem going a mile and a half.”