AIDAN O’Brien and Wayne Lordan teamed up to land both Group 2 juvenile prizes with Constitution River and Composing who are both likely to return here next month in search of greater glory at the Irish Champions Festival.
Lordan adopted similar tactics to his maiden win in Galway as Constitution River made all in the Coolmore Stud Wootton Bassett Tom Cooper Irish EBF Futurity Stakes, with the 5/6 favourite keeping on strongly inside the final furlong to beat Geryon by two lengths.
“He’s a lovely, straight forward horse. He’d a lovely run first time and was still very green when he won the next day. Wayne gave him a lovely ride and he quickened well,” said O’Brien. “Obviously you have to look at the National Stakes with him, and he’s going to be very happy going up in trip whenever that time comes.”
Composing on song
Composing, who like Constitution River, is also by Wootton Bassett and owned by the Coolmore partners, was sent off the 4/5 favourite in the Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes but was given a lead by Suzie Songs who raced keenly and set a strong pace.
Lordan’s mount led just under two furlongs out and kept on strongly inside the final 150 yards to beat Suzie Songs by a convincing two and a half lengths.
“She’s very straight forward and professional. We thought we’d have to make it, and we were delighted that Ger’s filly went on,” said O’Brien. “If everything is right, she’ll come back here for the Moyglare. She’s so laid back and is the same at home.”
THREAD Of Gold looked a useful sort when scoring on debut in the Coolmore Stud Little Big Bear Irish EBF Maiden. Trained by Willie Mullins for his wife Jackie, the 11/1 chance quickened up to lead inside the final furlong and kept on well for a comfortable two-length verdict over Resurgence.
“He was very professional from the minute I got up on him. He lobbed away down to the start and was like a handicapper in the stalls,” said winning rider Joey Sheridan.
“From the three to the two, I was waiting for room following the fancied ones and I didn’t even have to produce my stick. He took a bit of pulling up afterwards which is always a good sign.”
Inspiring confidence
Cash Me caused a 50/1 shock on her third start in the Sheehy Motors Volkswagen Maiden, getting up on the stands’ side rail for Dylan Browne McMonagle to touch off Glory To Be by a short head.
“She had been showing us that sort of ability at home and my horses weren’t quite right around the time of her last run. We just had to take a pull for a week and she’s our first runner since, so that inspires some confidence,” said Andy Oliver who trains the daughter of Prince Of Lir for David Laverty.
In command
The other maiden on the card, the Donohoe Marquees Maiden, was a lot more predictable with Slaney Drive making all under Declan McDonogh.
The evens favourite, trained by Jim Bolger for his wife Jackie, was in command from well over a furlong out and galloped on strongly to beat Saratoga by four and a half lengths.
McDonogh said: “He got into a nice rhythm today whereas the last day he was looking at things and just not bringing me. Today he was taking me the whole way and, when I gave him the office to go, he jumped out of my hands.
“He’s a very likeable horse and a work in progress. Jim has been very patient with him, and he could be a stakes horse in the making.”
IT’S A Heartbeat followed up a maiden win over course and distance in June by taking the mile-and-a-half Neville O’Byrne Memorial Irish EBF Fillies Handicap in decisive fashion.
The John O’Donoghue-trained daughter of Too Darn Hot travelled smoothly to challenge a quarter of a mile from home and took command inside the final furlong under Andrew Slattery to beat Shaool by three and three-quarter lengths.
“She’s very nice and is all about next year. I was happy to see some rain last night and I think she will be better on easier,” said O’Donoghue of the 11/1 winner.
“There is a race in France that we might look at over a mile and a half and I have her in the Princess Royal at Newmarket. That’s two wins now for an owner/breeder (Sven and Carina Hanson) and I’d imagine they would like to look at some residual value next.”
Daboya fulfilling dreams
Daboya (14/1), bought out of Dermot Weld’s yard after winning a Dundalk maiden last November, delighted the enthusiastic Goatsbridge Syndicate by getting up close home to take the Kwiff: Home Of The Supercharge Handicap.
Frank Pickle made a bold bid from the front in this mile-and-a-half event but was reeled in close home by Keithen Kennedy’s mount.
Winning trainer Dick Donohoe said, “I’m delighted with that and for the syndicate who are all relations of mine. They bought her at the November sales and it took a while to get going with her, but she’s come right in the last couple of weeks. She’ll jump hurdles as well and will make a dual-purpose horse.”
Late lunge
Clonmacash also left it late in the concluding Kwiff: Proud Sponsors Of The Supercharge Series Handicap, with the 11/1 chance getting up on the line under Sam Coen to beat Emerald Harmony by a short head.
“The plan for this lad was to go to the beach and we weren’t going to get in, so we said we’d run him here. Hopefully he doesn’t go up too much. Mark (Devlin, owner) loves Laytown and he’ll go there,” said trainer Ado McGuinness.
“He’s not a five (furlong) horse but we took a chance, and I knew if they went quick it would suit him. Sam gave him a super ride, and we needed the 7lb.”