THE Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic went for export on bank holiday Monday as Bunyola Bay claimed the lion’s share of the €200,000 pot in fine style.

Sean Levey was soon in front on the Richard Hannon-trained colt and he proved too strong for his rivals late on in the nine-and-a-half-furlong contest.

The son of Ghaiyyath asserted going to the furlong pole and galloped on strongly in the closing stages to post a three-and-a-quarter-length win in the feature event.

Levey, in the colours of Michael Geoghegan, said afterwards: “It was impressive and he had to be today. He’s relatively inexperienced and it was his first time going around a bend. We’ve always liked him.

“I thought looking at him in the ring he stood out quite a lot so potentially a nice horse has won a very nice race on a track that seems to have suited him very well.”

When asked if he could be a stakes horse he added: “You’d like to think so. We’ll let some water go under the bridge and see how he comes out of it. He’s definitely a nice horse, how nice we don’t know.”

O’Brien at the double

Joseph O’Brien was out of luck in the ‘Classic’ this year but had a good day at the Kilkenny track nonetheless with a double on the card. Obscenity produced a good performance when coming from the rear to land the Sonix Entertainment Handicap under Joey Sheridan.

The 7/2 favourite finished off strongly in the mile-and-a-half contest to collar Beauparc in the final 50 yards for a length-and-three-quarter success.

O’Brien, who trains the winner for Newtown Anner Stud, said: “He did well because we lost our spot early, I think he was a bit sluggish away from the gate and we ended up out of position a bit.

“Luckily there was a good enough tempo on and he was able to come from where he was. There might be something for him on Derby weekend. We’ll speak to PJ (Colville) and the team and see.”

Sheridan and O’Brien teamed up again with Sweet Baby Zou in the first division of the 0-60 handicap. The Zoustar filly led early in the straight and kept on well in the closing stages to post a length-and-a-quarter success over Roaming Coyote.

“I think she enjoyed the bit of juice in the ground,” said O’Brien of the 7/2 winner. “She ran in the north last week and Joey felt the ground was very quick for her. We weren’t going to run here, to be honest, but when the few showers came we said we’d let her take her chance.

THE second division of that nine-and-a-half-furlong contest was claimed by the well-bred Juddmonte colt Amrum. Ger Lyons’ half-brother to the his Irish 2000 Guineas winner Siskin, made his first start in handicap company off a lowly mark of 57. Colin Keane produced the 3/1 favourite with a strong charge late on to collar Neon Eyes for a head victory. Keane said: “He’s bred to be a lot better than he is but he’s a grand type of horse, a good looking horse.

“The handicapper has given him a chance so hopefully now he can climb through the grades. He’s a horse that will go a mile-and-a-half no problem.”

There was also a double on the card for the Jessica Harrington team as Shane Foley partnered two winners for the Moone handler.

Thrifty Of Digby showed great heart in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap when prevailing in the tightest finish of the day. The 17/2 shot made the running and was joined by Spanish Temptress in the closing stages.

The Profitable filly had her head down at the right time for a short-head victory.

Tough filly

“She’s some tough, brave, filly. She wasn’t going to get beaten, she kept on putting her head down,” said Harrington.

“She’s actually in the online sale but we might keep her now [was withdrawn].

“She loves Roscommon and here, and she goes from seven furlongs to a mile and a quarter. There might be another day in her but she’s getting her rating up now.”

Confused was well backed when bringing up the brace in the QuinnBet Maiden. Foley got a lovely run up the inner in the closing stages as the 6/4 favourite asserted late on for a length-and-three-quarters win over Listentodwindblow.

“He was good, he had a good run the last day and we thought he had come forward,” said Harrington.

“I was a bit worried about the ground beforehand but I rang Shane on my way down here, after the first race, and he said ‘no, it’s grand, if he can’t go on that he can’t go on anything’.

“He quickened up well. It’s only his second run and he’s still very green.”

AMENITA was another well-backed maiden winner when taking the opening fillies’ event over a mile for Dermot Weld. Chris Hayes delivered the Moyglare filly with a well-timed challenge inside the final furlong as the 9/4 favourite (9/1 in morning) beat Star Of Beauty by half a length.

“She did it nicely and got a lovely ride from Chris Hayes, he rode her with confidence and just produced her in the last furlong,” said Weld.

“I think she’ll go another furlong. She settled nicely for him and when he pulled her out she settled it pretty quickly. We’ll see how she comes out of the race before we make any decisions for her.”

Real Petite earned a reprieve when springing a 50/1 shock in the KCLR 96FM Apprentice Handicap.

The Tom Mullins-trained filly was produced by Jimmy Dalton to lead passing the furlong pole in the mile contest and stuck on well to record a two-and-a-half-length win.

“We went hurdling during the winter and she’s too small and was just too afraid,” said Mullins afterwards.

“Niall McCullagh rode her the last day over a mile and a half. We stuck cheekpieces on her and she was too free. He said ‘go back to a mile and stick the cheekpieces back on her’.

“So we’ve him to thank. Myself and the owner (Rita Byrne) were running out of time and this was her last chance today.”