JOSEPH O’Brien completed an opening race double at Gowran on Wednesday, at a meeting where leading jockey Colin Keane picked up a seven-day suspension for prematurely easing a beaten horse.
O’Brien began by winning the opening Irish EBF Median Auction Maiden with the Atlantic Thoroughbreds-owned Perisher (11/8 favourite).
Ridden by Declan McDonogh, the 80-rated Perisher kept on well to hold off stablemate and newcomer Alphonsus Liguori by a head.
O’Brien commented: “Perisher deserved his win as he had some good runs and I thought he was tough. Declan said he might like to go up to 10 furlongs and we’ll look for a handicap now.
“Alphonsus Liguori probably exceeded our expectations on his debut and went through the race well. He found plenty and looks a nice horse for the future.”
Well-regarded
Half an hour later, the trainer was successful with Go Just Do It (8/13 favourite) in the Gowran Park Golf Club Maiden, the race in which jockey Colin Keane eased eventual third-placed Sindagan, costing him a runner-up finish, and picked up a seven-day suspension.
Go Just Do It ran out the easy winner under Joey Sheridan, scoring in the colours of the Burke family, with O’Brien noting: “I know he was a short-priced favourite but I thought he was very impressive. I thought he was as impressive a maiden winner as you’d see.
“We thought very highly of him last year so placed him very aggressively and we were disappointed he was beaten on his last run [in October], but I’d say it will work out that he was beaten by a good horse [Trojan Warrior].
“I’ll discuss with Michael and John [Burke] but I’m thinking of staying at seven furlongs, rather than going a mile. He could be a Jersey Stakes-type of horse.”
O’BRIEN was denied a hat-trick in the following Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap as his strong-travelling leader Greydreambeliever was headed in the closing stages, with the Michael Butler-trained Rion Rubette causing a 16/1 upset. Paddy Harnett’s mount travelled well turning for home and was hampered approaching the final furlong, but finished strongly to score by half a length for the Bredwinner Syndicate.
Michael Butler Junior reported: “She is very game, had a lovely run at the Curragh the last day and she was meeting some of today’s rivals on better terms.
“The handicapper has had great faith in this filly all along and was proved right today. It is great to win, we’ll see how she is now and aim for a similar type of handicap [declared for Limerick today].”
Off the mark
The concluding handicap over a mile and six furlongs was won by the smartly-bred bargain-buy Prom Queen (10/1), who scored a first success for Anthony McCann, jockey and owner Rita Shah. Despite hanging left, Prom Queen gamely held off runner-up Royal Belief to score by a length and a half under Luke McAteer.
McCann said: “Myself and Naren Shah, Rita’s husband, bought this mare for her birthday as she was always fond of grey horses. Her first ever horse Barr’s Hill was a grey who won 13 or 14 races for Oliver Brady.
“She is actually well-bred; we got offers for her before Christmas and she needs soft ground. She will be better going left-handed as Leigh Roche rode her one day in Fairyhouse and nearly ended up on the ambulance path, she hung so badly.”
LAST season’s Irish 1,000 Guineas fifth City Of Memphis (11/10 fav) returned following a long break to neatly win the Racing Again May 5th Race for trainer Paddy Twomey, the Zinlo Syndicate and Billy Lee.
Having just her third career start, the €370,000 breeze-up buy quickened away from useful rivals in the final furlong, to score by a length and three quarters from Cowardofthecounty.
Twomey stated: “She had a setback as a two-year-old and I was keen not to over-race her last year. She is a nice filly and this was a perfect race for her. All of mine are a bit ‘short’ this year and she is a bit rusty.
“The Ridgewood Pearl Stakes [Group 2 in May] would be a very good race for her. We’re hopeful she will have a very good season.”
Perfect timing
Andy Slattery continued his excellent form when landing the Thomastown Handicap with Kitty Bear (9/2) for owners Charles Kerwin & Brendan Kerwin & Liam Kehoe.
Held up in mid division, Orla Tynan produced the winner to lead in the final furlong and scored by three lengths from Majestic King.
Slattery stated: “Orla was hitting the front too soon on her in her last few runs so I explained to her today to hold her up. The filly wasn’t helping her by stopping out in front and running around the place and probably should have won at Dundalk two starts ago.
“She is versatile and is great for Orla, who is with me full-time. She’s a great worker. The owners had a few horses who were out injured, so I told them to buy this one. She only cost the lads €2,000 and has now won twice.”
Slept in
Chirac (3/1 to 9/4 fav) justified strong support in the seven-furlong handicap for Johnny Feane, Ronan Whelan and owner Charlotte Musgrave.
Despite missing the break, Chirac ranged up to challenge on the outer in the home straight and went on to score by two and three quarter lengths.
Feane commented: “It was trainer-error dropping him to five furlongs the last day and the step up to seven helped him.
“He was standing in the stalls for a while today, which was nobody’s fault, but it wasn’t ideal for a horse having only his second run in a handicap. He is quite laidback and fell asleep a bit, but he ran well.”