RORY Mulligan is one of a number of talented apprentices catching the eye at present and the Co Meath native partnered his first double aboard Magical Moonlight and Noble Agenda.
Magical Moonlight, trained by Johnny Murtagh for the Bayview Syndicate, made all to land a gamble in the opening five-furlong Harvertech Maiden.
Available at 14/1 overnight and sent off the 9/2 second favourite, she drew clear in the final furlong to beat the odds-on Tradewinds by five and a half lengths and Mulligan commented: “She’s a tough little filly who tries hard. I knew when I jumped and got her up in front, she would stay going well. I ride her plenty at home, and she is very genuine and hardy.”
The Hard Bet Partnership-owned Noble Agenda scored on debut to complete the 70/1 plus double in the Boyle Sports Median Auction Maiden, getting up close home to beat Kraar by half a length.
“He did everything well and behaved lovely beforehand. I was a little outpaced when I jumped out but he travelled and picked up really well,” said Mulligan before adding: “I had a handful of rides (for trainer Ciaran Murphy) and that’s my second winner for him.”
DONAGH O’Connor was another to partner a double on the card initiated by Treasure Rose, completing an across the card treble for Murtagh who was also successful with Zenford at Limerick, in the Proparamedics And Medicall Handicap.
The Tony Smurfit-owned filly was fitted with cheekpieces on her handicap debut following a number of placed efforts in maidens and she appeared to idle when hitting the front in the final 150 yards holding off Minaun View by half a length.
“She was very consistent without getting her head in front. We said we would try to cuddle her into it, and it worked out well,” said O’Connor who was having his first ride for Murtagh on the 3/1 favourite.
O’Connor was also seen to good effect when completing a 51/1 brace on Rockview Stables’ Alex Belardo (12/1) in the Laura Nicholas Memorial Handicap, getting up close home to beat Toy Soldier by half a length with Lady Kelly just a short head away in third.
“He acts on softer ground and likes it here. He was tough there today and is actually getting more genuine as he gets older! He’s pretty consistent and I’d love a few more like him,” said trainer John McConnell.
SARAHMAE will bid for a hat-trick in the Dubai Duty Free Rockingham Handicap at the Curragh on Irish Derby Day after overcoming a slow start to land the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap.
Trained by Denis Hogan for his mother Mary and Michael O’Brien, she finished strongly under Chris Hayes to beat fellow 9/4 joint favourite Shadow Of The Moon by two and a quarter lengths.
“She kind of floundered out of the gates, but it probably worked out as we were going far too fast for the (soft) ground,” said Hayes.
“Denis’ horses are well. The distance she won might be exaggerated because of the speed we were going, but I’d like to think if he(handicapper)’s not too hard on her she will win again.”
Across the card double
Jarlath Fahey added to a winner at Limerick earlier in the evening when sending out The Right One, owned by his daughter Sinead, to take the WillWeGo Handicap.
The 9/1 shot was prominent throughout and led inside the final 150 yards for Scott McCullagh to beat Mini Cotai by three-quarters of a length. “We were a little bit worried about the ground beforehand but, to be fair, she got through it. She had plenty of experience as a two-year-old and did well over the winter. I think she has switched on a lot from two to three so hopefully there is more improvement,” said McCullagh.
Strong success
Nouvel Espoir recorded his fourth win at the minimum trip when taking the Ampion Electrical Test And Solar Handicap. Trained by Jimmy Barcoe and sporting the colours of his wife Yvonne Hennessy, the well-backed 3/1 chance came home strongly on the outer under Shay Wallace to beat Verified by a length and three-quarters.
“I know him well. I had a winner on him last year and I rode him plenty of times throughout the year,” said Wallace.
“Judging off the form of a couple of horses in the race, I thought they were going to go hard. Jimmy said to me to take my time and there was no need to rush. In fairness, he put his head down when I asked him to go and he hit the line well.”
He added: “I’m still down with Joseph O’Brien and loving every day of it down there. Cheering home all the winners (in Royal Ascot); some training performance. With all the jockeys down there, you learn a lot. Every single person inside there has been a great help.”