MICHAEL O’Callaghan was featured in The Big Interview in The Irish Field last weekend and, in that piece, he referred to his exciting two-year-old colt Push The Boat Out, who was named after a phrase used by the late John Fleming, one of the trainer’s greatest friends and supporters.
How apt it was that on Saturday afternoon, the grey colt kept his unbeaten record intact by edging out the previously unbeaten Great Barrier Reef (4/5 favourite) and winning the Group 3 Heider Family Stables Round Tower Stakes by a neck. The six-furlong race came three weeks after Push The Boat Out made a winning debut over course and distance and, on Saturday, the 17/2 winner was getting a handy 5lb from the runner-up, winner of the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. The pair finished nicely ahead of the consistent Velozee in third.
O’Callaghan reported: “When they win a maiden first time out, they have to jump up to this level. Little bit of greenness there during the middle part of the race. He came off it early, but Seamie [Heffernan] got him rolling from halfway. Seamie was very complimentary of him, he said he was a racehorse.
“We’ll get him home and see how he is, but Seamie said he’s still a little bit weak. He said he feels like a miler next year. Obviously, he’s unbeaten, he’s won his group race and he’s beaten the Coventry winner. Seamie mentioned Newmarket, so we’ll get him home and let the dust settle. We’ll enjoy today.”
By Kodi Bear, Push The Boat Out was an 85,000gns purchase at the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up Sale. Knocked down to ‘Michael and Harvey’, he is now owned by a partnership.
Classy Camelot colt
The card opened with an impressive performance from the Aidan O’Brien-trained Darkness Falls (4/6 favourite) in the John Ormonde Wexford Sand Irish EBF Maiden over a mile. Making all under Ryan Moore, the Coolmore-owned colt asserted from over two furlongs out to win by seven lengths from stable companion Albany County. This was the Camelot colt’s second run, building on a debut third at Leopardstown in July when unfancied.
O’Brien said: “He had a lovely run the first day. He’s a Camelot with a lot of class. He’s a beautiful mover, so ground won’t matter to him. When Ryan said ‘go’, it was over very quick. He’s in the mix for the Golden Fleece at Leopardstown.”
JIM Bolger looks to have a tough and classy juvenile filly on his hands in the form of Sea Of Rain, winner of the Group 3 Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF Stakes.
Sent off at 18/1 for this one-mile test, the home-bred daughter of first season sire Naval Crown led three furlongs out under Colin Keane before keeping on strongly to score by three-quarters of a length. It proved hard to come from the back all afternoon and runner-up Ballyskeagh caught the eye, finishing fast for second.
Bolger said: “I’m only kicking myself! I intended backing her when I saw the 25/1, but I forgot about it. I’m the worst punter in the world. It’s no surprise. I have 12 mares in foal to the sire, so that’s what I thought of her all along. All she needed was the mile and a gallop. I’ve been telling the lads she’s my Oaks filly for next year. I’d say we’ll go for the May Hill at Doncaster. I won it years ago with Turret Rocks.”
Gosden and Soumillon
Christophe Soumillon was an unusual visitor to the Curragh on Saturday. He had two mounts for The Thoroughbred Corporation, including Miss Scott, who was a ready winner of the Group 3 Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes for trainers John and Thady Gosden.
Colin Keane tried to make all aboard the Ger Lyons-trained Faiyum (3/1 joint favourite) and, while she kept on well for second, she was no match for the other market leader - a 650,000gns daughter of Night Of Thunder - who swept past inside the final furlong to score by almost four lengths.
Soumillon reported: “It was not easy from that draw to get a better position. I was three deep out without any cover all the way. She was really relaxed all the time. When I asked her to pick up quite early, she just responded so well, and when I hit the front the last furlong, she was just pointing her heels in the front and stopping a bit. I needed to get her concentrated until the line. She loves the ground (good to yielding).”
TRAINER Andy Slattery won the Tote Irish Cambridgeshire (Premier Handicap) with highly-regarded four-year-old Loughrea.
Sent off the 9/2 second favourite in a field of 17, the Elzaam gelding travelled strongly throughout under Andrew Slattery. They led over two furlongs out in this one-mile premier handicap before going clear to win by three lengths for the Holohan family.
The winning handler said: “We thought he was very well handicapped off 91. I have him in Champions Weekend in the Northfields (10 furlongs), but he’ll probably come back here for the [Listed] Concorde Stakes now. Dropping him back to seven furlongs won’t be a problem.
“It’s only his sixth run. His first run in Leopardstown last year, he was as green as grass. I only had him about two months. He has done nothing but improve. He only won by half a length at Leopardstown the last day, but he could have won by four.”
The Fozzy Stack-trained Exchange Student (9/1) battled on bravely under Julian Pietropaolo to win the Audi Naas Nursery Handicap off a mark of just 61. Sent off 9/1 in the colours of Craig Bernick, the filly by leading Australian sire Extreme Choice looked like being headed a furlong out, but kept galloping on to hold Luca Brilliante (conceding 24lb) by half a length.
Stack said: “He gave her a nice ride. She just got caught a bit wide and things in Sligo the last day through nobody’s fault. She just toughed it out well there. I thought the Moyglare horse was going to come and do her, but she kept going.”
Another lightweight, Apothic Red - also rated 61 - won the concluding Holden Plant Rentals Apprentice Handicap for trainer Tom McCourt and jockey Sadhbh Tormey. Owned by Pauline McCourt, Donal O’Leary and Don’t Ask The Wife Syndicate, the 9/1 chance was always holding Simmering Seas to score by one and a quarter lengths.
Tormey reported: “He bounced away smart and I slotted him in handy enough to track the leaders. I decided to switch him out then, just to give him a bit of daylight. I was in front a little bit too soon. We put visors on, because he was idling that little bit. The last day, he battled on well after he wobbled a little up the straight. Today he knew his job. He battled the whole way to the line, just idled the last 100 yards.”