JUNE’S Royal Ascot winners Joe Murphy and Gary Carroll combined for a late-season double at Killarney’s final meeting of 2025 with Lady Lilac (2/9 favourte) completing the feat in the Muckross Lake Median Auction Maiden.
After hitting the front over two furlongs out, the three-year-old daughter of Inns Of Court went clear to beat Green Kite by five and a half lengths. Carroll, who this summer combined with Fethard trainer Murphy for Cercene’s memorable Coronation Stakes success, was pleased that Lady Lilac got her turn.
“She is a model of consistency. Her owner Brendan Quinn also bred her and I won the Listed race at Galway on her half-sister Galtee Mist. She was a good filly too, but didn’t win her Listed race until she was five, so there is every chance Lady Lilac can get better too.
“There isn’t a whole lot of her, but with a good winter, she might just come back stronger.”
Opening act
Murphy and Carroll had struck earlier with Alphecca (85/40 favourite) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
After two promising runs Alphecca, owned by breeder Gerard Kervick and Crampscastle Bloodstock Ltd, was getting off the mark at the third attempt.
Carroll went for a run up the inner early in the straight and the Sioux Nation filly responded well to get through a tight enough gap.
In front over two furlongs out, she quickly settled matters and went away to beat Honouramongthieves by five lengths.
Carroll said: “She missed the break when finishing third at Naas. I felt I should have won that day as we got caught too far back. She jumped well today, we went a good gallop and she quickened well.”
Temptress lures in the first leg of a double for Lee
UNPLACED three times since winning here at the July meeting, Spanish Temptress (9/2) enjoyed being back at Killarney as she landed the three-year-old handicap over a mile.
The grey daughter of Phoenix Of Spain, trained by Richard O’Brien for the Phoenix Rising Syndicate, came from off the pace down the centre of the track to beat fellow closer Skippinandajumpin by a length and a quarter.
Winning rider Billy Lee said: “They got away from me, but I left her alone to get a good fill into her and she picked up well. She has won twice at Killarney but had also run well at Limerick and her Curragh run wasn’t a bad run either.”
Straightforward win
Lee doubled up when Grade 2 bumper winner Seo Linn (4/9 favourite) scored with the minimum of fuss in the one-mile, three-furlong maiden for older horses.
Beaten in four previous starts on the level, including a couple of odds-on defeats, this was straightforward for Paddy Twomey’s five-year-old who carries the colours of Mrs Ann Phelan and Mrs Bridget Beckett.
In front early, she settled in behind the leaders until going on over two furlongs out to beat Factual Fact by eight and a half lengths.
Lee said: “The good gallop helped me and the one thing she did today was she picked up when I gave her a squeeze. I thought it was a nice performance and that slower ground has helped a little bit.
“Long term, the objective is to get her blacktype on the flat, but if her mark stays the same, we might look for a handicap.”
Gift of success
Wootton Bassett-sired Gifted (11/4) got off the mark for owner/breeders Coolmore when landing the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden for Aidan O’Brien and Wayne Lordan.
By the recently deceased top stallion, Gifted had competed at both Bellewstown (twice) and Galway in three previous tries and she made all the running to score comfortably by two and a half lengths from Forthill.
Lordan reported: “Gifted didn’t handle Galway the last day, but she had run some nice races.
“Today, with no undulations, she winged around. The cheekpieces helped her concentrate a little more as she saves a bit and is an easy-going filly.
“She stays well and today’s three-furlong straight was a huge difference compared to where she had been running.”
RATED just 39 and a maiden after 14 starts, Draiocht (16/1) won the 0-60 handicap over a mile in the hands of Killian Leonard.
The Dandy Man gelding, trained by Thomond O’Mara for his partner Roisin Hickey, came from mid-division to hit the front over a furlong from home and was ridden out to hold the veteran Swiss Army Officer by half a length.
“He likes a good galloping track and a mile is as far as he wants to go,” said Leonard. “The key to him is when he settles and gets into a rhythm, as you can use him then.”
Cosy finish
The best finish of the afternoon came in the apprentice handicap for three-year-olds with Blue Moon Boy (9/1) getting up close home under Julian Pietropaolo.
The lightly-raced Gustav Klimt gelding finished strongly to get the better of Chica Guerrera well inside the final furlong and scored, a little cosily at the line, by a head.
Winning trainer Andrew Kinirons said: “He won his maiden at Galway and then ran really well in a conditions race there last month. I thought this was an ideal race and, in fairness to Niall McCullagh, who rode him work last week, he said he’d get this distance.
“We thought a lot of him as a two-year-old, but he took a bit of time and only does what he has to. He is very honest and I’m delighted for his really loyal German owner/breeder Dr Gerhard Matte, who has actually never been over to see him.
“He has done a lot of schooling and now that he has proven he stays and handles easy ground, he should make a nice hurdler.”