‘LOCAL boy done good’ Oisin Murphy had star billing at Killarney on Tuesday night and didn’t disappoint his fans when partnering a double on his return home.
His first ride at the course, where he dreamed of success as a boy, proved to be a facile winner as Celtic Motif landed the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden with the minimum of fuss.
The Joseph O’Brien-trained filly went to post a 1/5 shot in the mile contest and made all the running to score by a cosy six lengths over Taj Crown.
Murphy, wearing the colours of Wells Watson, said afterwards: “It’s nice to win on her. She was a standout in the race, she had good form before she went to America for Joseph. It was great that she won. Thank you to Killarney racecourse and everyone that has come. They put in an awful lot of effort.”
Local success
Murphy went on to score for local connections later on the card when the Michael O’Callaghan-trained Saga Gaga landed the featured Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap.
The 3/1 shot came with a strong surge to lead in the closing stages in the mile-three contest and grab front-runner Spanish Temptress for a length and three-quarters success.
“It’s amazing. She was bred by Danny Leane, a local man who lives at the top of the road here,” said O’Callaghan. “It was his dream to have a winner at Killarney. She was his first ever winner when she won at Gowran and now for her to win on home soil with Oisin Murphy riding her it’s amazing.
“You can see the reception she got and this is what racing is about. It’s great, all their family are here and all the locals. Oisin came in and said she’s still plenty raw, she enjoyed the trip and enjoyed everything. He said she is a stakes filly.”
CHRIS Hayes was another man to bag a double on the night, courtesy of Wild Sapphire and Gaoth Chuil. The former bagged an overdue success in the Hotel Killarney Maiden when scoring at the seventh attempt.
Dermot Weld’s charge knuckled down well inside the final furlong to get the better of Sron Na Caise by three-parts of a length.
Hayes said of the Moyglare Stud-owned 6/4 favourite: “It worked out grand, it was like a bit of work. This lad has disappointed us a little bit, there is no point saying it any other way.
“I wanted it to be picture perfect for him today, have one crack inside the furlong pole. I thought he showed good resolution and galloped through the line. That might do his confidence a bit of good.”
Later on the card Gaoth Chuil was another winning favourite for punters when taking the Rose Hotel Handicap. Hayes was soon in front on the Ted Walsh-trained mare and the 15/8 shot found plenty in the closing stages to beat Tribal Star by two and three-quarter lengths.
“She’s a right little mare. She stays well and handles that two miles. The ground wouldn’t want to be any quicker for her but it’s safe,” said Walsh of Mick Ryan’s daughter of Harzand.
“She’ll go to Galway, whatever she gets into. If she got into the amateur handicap on Monday she’d run in it but if not there is a two-mile handicap for her.”
KAITLYN Ryan had a night to remember as Eagle Fang gave her a first winner in the concluding Thorn Plant Hire (QR) Maiden.
She produced Bill Durkan’s 15/8 favourite to challenge passing the furlong pole and the Free Eagle gelding got on top in the closing stages to beat Sunny South West by a length and a half.
Assistant trainer Gary Bannon revealed the winner could have international targets later in the year: “The plan was to go back for the Galway Plate but he didn’t jump well enough in Listowel so we said we’d give the flat campaign a go.
“He’ll probably get an entry in the Connacht Hotel (QR) Handicap and maybe the 100 grand two-mile-six on the Saturday. I suppose down the line I wouldn’t mind travelling him a bit, he likes that quick ground and maybe the American Grand National in Far Hills.”
Over the moon
Red Hugh O’Donnell, successful in a maiden on the same card 12 months ago, bounced back to form in the Killarney Plaza Hotel Handicap.
Paddy Harnett produced the 33/1 shot to lead narrowly in the closing stages and he got the better of Mythical Rock by a head in a tight finish.
Winning trainer Gillian Scott said afterwards: “I’m over the moon with him. He’s a tricky horse at times but he actually ran a cracker in a charity race last time and I think it helped him an awful lot, he got a bit of confidence out of it.”
When asked if there was anything back here for him next month she added: “I don’t know, I must go check. That’s my next job!”
Patience also paid off with Cause I Like You as she lunged late to land the Irish Examiner Handicap for trainer Mick Mulvany. Wesley Joyce got a good tune from the 10/3 shot late on to record a length and three-quarters success.
“She fired a warning shot the last day, she was finishing really well in Bellewstown. “It’s just nice to have a winning bracket for the owner/breeder (Michael Foley).
“I think the penny is only really starting to drop with her and hopefully it’s onwards and upwards.”