DARIUS Dark brought up a hat-trick when winning the Fitzpatrick’s Mercedes-Benz Apprentice Derby Handicap. Sent off 3/1 favourite under Rory Mulligan, the Johnny Murtagh-trained gelding led two furlongs out, keeping on dourly to win by a neck for owners Newtown Anner Stud Farm Ltd.
“He is a lovely horse at home. I won on him before and he did that nicely today,” said Mulligan. “I just sat off the front two for the first half of the race. I just felt that they were going half a stride too quick, but I travelled down behind them just before the turn in.
“I would have liked to have got a lead for a bit further, but he was going that well, I just had to pull him out and kick. I think when he felt the second horse come to him, it pushed him along a bit more and he galloped on gamely then.”
Close finish
Oisin Murphy got the Natalia Lupini-trained Summer Island up close home to win the Schweppes Trophy Handicap. Sent off 11/4 favourite, the Nigel O’Hare, Martin W White, Mark Devlin and Craig Bryson-owned four-year-old got up to beat Little Empire half a length.
Lupini said: “It is brilliant to have this kind of horse for these kind of days. Oisin was brilliant on him. He said he was a little bit slow out of the gates. He was very calm and relaxed and he sort of missed the break a little bit.
“Oisin didn’t panic. Seven (furlongs), we think, is his best trip and he seems to love the Curragh. Hopefully, he can improve again off this race.”
AIDAN O’Brien introduced a smart newcomer in the Keadeen Hotel Irish EBF Maiden with Abraham Lincoln. Sent off 11/8 favourite, Ryan Moore led over a furlong out on the Coolmore, Westerberg, Peter Brant and J.P. Dubois-owned colt, before powering clear to score by a length and three-quarters.
“He is a lovely horse; still very green. He hadn’t been asked much at home, but he was working classy,” said O’Brien.
“Ryan just said that when he asked him to go, he got there very quickly. He just ended up being there probably much earlier than he wanted, but then he said he was only looking around. He’ll be very comfortable going up to races like the Tyros, the Futurity and those type of races.”
Close finish
Loughrea held on close home to win the Diageo Luxury Spirits Irish EBF Median Auction Maiden for Andy Slattery. Sent off 5/2 joint-favourite, the Holohan family-owned gelding led two furlongs out, but idled in front under Sam Coen and just did enough to prevail by a neck.
Slattery said: “Sam said he was in front too soon. He said he was pulling up and, when the other horse came to him, he kind of went on again. John Houlihan owns him. He is a son-in-law of Pat Tallis, who used to train. This horse is from the same family as that good horse they used to have, Acushladear. If anyone comes with money, he’ll take it.”
Drawn wide
Ger Lyons and Colin Keane won the Silken Thomas And Lock 13 Handicap with 9/2 chance Prevalence. The Juddmonte-owned filly led a furlong out, keeping on well to beat No More Porter a length and a quarter.
Keane said: “It was pretty much a non-event the last day. Nicola (Burns) felt from the moment she got on her going down to the start, she was a bit quiet in herself. She wasn’t herself unfortunately, but thankfully she bounced back today.
“I was drawn wide, but I was happy enough as she was a little bit keen the last twice. She picked up nicely when I asked her and did it well. She handled the ground well and she appreciates a nice surface.”
THE Charles Byrnes-trained Reverend Hubert was a 28/1 winner of the O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey Irish EBF Stayers Handicap. Ridden by Adam Caffrey, the James M Flaherty-owned gelding kept on best for a half-length verdict.
Byrnes said: “It was hard to fancy him after the last day. I thought he’d run well, but I didn’t think he’d win, to be honest. The day he won in Newmarket, they went mad early on. The faster they go and the better the ground, the better he is.
“The GPT in Galway would be the obvious race for him. There is a three-mile hurdle race in Cork in two weeks’ time, I don’t know whether he’ll go there now or not. Domination was the only other winner I’ve had here. Hopefully, it won’t be as long as him again.”
Late lunge
Wyman rattled home late on to claim the McGuinness Maintenance Irish EBF Maiden for Jessica Harrington and Shane Foley. Sent off 12/1, the Hampstead Holdings LLC-owned colt mowed down Numantia for a length and a quarter success.
Jessica Harrington said: “When he got going, he got going very, very well. He won snug in the end. The plan was the Ulster Derby, but the ground went on us. He needs good ground. The owners came over from America this morning.”
Kate Harrington added: “He is named after Pearl’s dad (owner). I’m not sure if he’ll be a Galway horse. I’m not sure he will handle the ups and downs, but we’ll get home and regroup. It was just special today because the owners made their way over.”
San Andreas justified 6/4 favouritism when winning the Corinthian Challenge Charity Race Series by three-quarters of a length for Joseph O’Brien and Robin de Pelsmaeker.