ON her third start, Yellowstone Lake (6/5 favourite) got off the mark in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden and provided jockey Billy Lee with his 1,000th career winner.
Paddy Twomey’s juvenile, owned by the Zinlo Syndicate, was second on debut at Leopardstown before finishing fourth to subsequent Listed winner Diamond Necklace at the Curragh.
She raced close to the pace and led two furlongs out before being ridden out to hold Emmeleia by half a length.
Lee commented: “I was kind of counting the days since coming back (from injury), it was a little goal. I was only counting the flat ones, but they added in the few National Hunt winners I rode.
“It’s a nice milestone to get. I’m not saying there is 1,000 more but hopefully I’ll ride plenty more winners.”
On Yellowstone Lake, he added: “She just took a little while between races, Paddy gave her a little chance.
“She has come forward and is probably a better filly coming at something rather than making the running, so hopefully there is more improvement.”
Off-course gamble
Sarmiento Power (4/1), trained by Matt Smith for the Spoonful Of Irish Syndicate, landed an off-course gamble in the concluding mile and a half handicap.
Available at 40/1 in the morning having shown very poor form at this venue early in the year, the Churchill gelding proved a different proposition in first-time blinkers. Robbie Colgan sent him to the front over a furlong out and he stayed on well to beat Chopsticks by two and three-quarter lengths.
Shane Foley, who rode fifth home Captain Hanley, was hit with an eight-day suspension for careless riding.
Smith said of his winner: “He had three months off in the summer and came back a different horse.
“He worked up here with the blinkers on him the other day and worked well.”
Heff to the fore on the Phantom
TRAINED in Newmarket by George Scott, Phantom Flight (3/1 favourite) made the journey across the Irish Sea worthwhile when taking the featured Bar One Racing Best Odds Guaranteed Diamond Stakes at Dundalk.
Seamie Heffernan rode the Siyouni gelding for owners Victorious Forever and settled him in mid-division before making headway in the straight. The six-year-old, a listed winner at Newbury last year and twice successful in Bahrain during the winter, led inside the final furlong and came home two and a half lengths in front of Ameerat Jumaira.
Last year’s Irish Oaks winner You Got To Me, having her first start for Adrian Murray, ran poorly for the third time in a row and beat only one home.
Heffernan said: “I spoke to George this morning and he just said to get him comfortable to halfway and that he would run home.
“He’s a classy horse and he’s old and mature now. I’d say that is two important winners I have got from my stint in Bahrain.
I ended up getting a Royal Ascot winner [Get In, Wokingham] because I met George Baker and George Scott kept me in mind when he was coming over.”
Final stride
The View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium Apprentice Handicap produced an exciting finish with Rappell (9/2) getting up in the final stride under Keithen Kennedy to touch off outsider Masked Angel by a short head.
Trainer Paul Flynn said of Paddy Maguire’s four-year-old: “He definitely stays six furlongs well and it was his first time on the all-weather. He keeps a bit to himself.
“He’s grand, but he’s not as good as we thought he was going to be.”
BEN Coen notched a double with his first winner coming aboard Best Suggestion (1/1 favourite) in the claiming maiden. The Neil Dalzell-owned winner led over 100 yards out to beat Heaven’s Wish by a neck.
Winning trainer Andy Oliver said: “The figures between ratings and the weight that he was carrying put him in there with a favourite’s chance. It was nice to get it done.” The winner was subsequently claimed for €10,000 by trainer John McConnell.
Coen completed his brace in the second division of the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap when Punk Poet (3/1), third to Sierra De Gredos here the previous week, reversed form with that rival to record a sixth win at Dundalk. The winner made most and was driven out by Coen to fend off his cousin Sam Coen’s challenge on Sierra De Gredos by a neck.
Trainer Eddie Lynam said of his wife Aileen’s eight-year-old: “He’s getting on and I love him and I didn’t want anything to happen to him but, as Ben says, he enjoys his racing and tries hard.The girl who minds him loves him, all the staff love him, he’s a pet.”
The first division of the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap saw Famous Enough (8/1) come from well off the pace to score under Wesley Joyce.
Trained by Pat Foley for owner/breeder Paddy Meaney, the Elzaam gelding cut down Venetian well inside the final furlong to win by a length.
Gentleman
Pat Foley said: “I rode in a couple of point-to-points for Paddy and never rode a winner for him, so it is great to train one for him! He’s a gentleman and very easy to train for.”
The extended 10-furlong handicap was won by Quickshot (3/1 favourite) in the hands of jockeys’ title-race leader Dylan Browne McMonagle. The Uncle Mo gelding, trained for Amo Racing and Giselle De Aguiar by Adrian Murray, was brought over to race close to the stands’ rail early in the straight and stayed on to collar Harry The Rogue close home for a neck success.
The winning rider said: “He will be a better horse going back up to a mile and a half.”