JAMES J Braddock entered the Derby picture when upsetting some better fancied rivals to come out on top in a thrilling finish to the Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial Stakes.
Just five went to post for this mile and two-furlong Group 3 with Pierre Bonnard sent off the 5/6 favourite to bounce back from a disappointing seventh over course and distance in the Ballysax Stakes last month.
His Ballydoyle stablemate Endorsement made most of the running here with Pierre Bonnard eventually working his way into a narrow advantage inside the final 150 yards.
However, James J Braddock responded gamely under Dylan Browne McMonagle and got up on the line to score by a short head at odds of 9/1, with Endorsement just a neck further back in third.
Winning trainer, Joseph O’Brien said: “He ran a nice race (fifth in the ‘Ballysax’) the first day and we thought he’d come on from the run. We were a bit worried about the fast ground, as his maiden win last year was on quite soft ground.
“Before today, we were thinking that he might be a horse for the King Edward in Ascot, but I suppose we now have to consider other options as well. We’ll see how he comes out of it and discuss it with Aziz Kheir. It’s the first horse we’ve had for him, and he obviously has a lot of horses in Australia.
“This is going to be a horse that will hopefully turn up in top international races through the course of his career.”
When it was put to him that it looks like an open Derby, he added: “I thought some of those Chester horses looked pretty good, in fairness, but it does look like an open race, and I guess this guy is one of the contenders now, having won a trial.”
Paddy Power cut the winner into 25/1 (from 100/1) for Epsom, with Benvenuto Cellini the 11/4 favourite.
Cannes on the up
James J Braddock was the highlight of a 57/1 treble on the card for O’Brien and Browne McMonagle, initiated by Cannes in the Captain Dara Fitzpatrick Memorial Maiden.
The Al Shaqab-owned 4/5 favourite, runner-up to the feature race winner in a Curragh maiden last backend, led early in the straight and kept on well for a comfortable two and a quarter lengths verdict over Almazann.
“He’s a nicely-bred horse and, hopefully, the best is yet to come. I’d say he might go into a nice three-year-old handicap,” said O’Brien.
Ninth winner
McMonagle belatedly returned this season from injury just the previous weekend, but has certainly been making up for lost time and partnered his ninth winner in just over a week as Johanna Walsh completed the treble by making all in the “It’s Family Day At Leopardstown” Fillies Maiden over a mile and two furlongs.
The Wells Watson-owned 9/4 favourite was ridden to assert over a furlong out and kept on strongly to beat Believed by three and a quarter lengths.
“I’m not sure she really loved the track at Gowran the last day and we were keen to get her on a big track and get her rolling today. She’ll probably head for a stakes races now, maybe the race in Naas (Blue Wind Stakes on June 24th). You’d imagine she’d love a mile and four furlongs, being a Sea The Stars filly,” said O’Brien.
Twomey keeps up hot run
BILLY Lee also partnered a treble on the day, including two stakes race victories for Paddy Twomey, whose Golden yard is in irresistible form at present.
City Of Memphis made it three wins from four starts in the Group 3 Al Shira’aa Racing “Mutamakina” Stakes, with the Sioux Nation filly prominent throughout in this seven-furlong event, leading over a furlong out to score by a length and a half from Signora, who came home well on the outer, with Snellen in third.
“She’s a very good filly. We haven’t raced her much and I’m hoping we’ll make up for lost time this year,” said Twomey of the Zinlo Syndicate-owned 7/4 favourite.
“She’s in the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes, on Guineas weekend, and I think the mile will be no problem. She’s a filly that will do very well later in the year, over seven or a mile.”
Nine from 10
Twomey made it an amazing nine winners from his last 10 runners with Catalina Delcarpio in the Listed Porsche In Support Of Breast Cancer Ireland Amethyst Stakes.
Lee elected to challenge wide in the straight on the Lordship Stud-owned 100/30 chance, who got on top in the final 100 yards of this mile event to beat Tokenomics by a length and a quarter.
“It was maybe trainer error last year, I stretched her out to a mile and four furlongs in the Ribblesdale, and I’d say she has too much speed for that. She had a setback after she ran in Ascot, so she was just ready to start back when she ran in the Park Express,” said Twomey.
“I think she can step up to 10 furlongs no problem, but she has pace for a mile. Her new connections were keen that we win a listed race before stepping up the grades and I’d imagine a race like the Pretty Polly would be right up her street.”
Lee was seen to great effect when completing his 112/1 treble aboard Truth Be Told in the mile and two-furlong Leopardstown Golf, Padel, Range Handicap.
The 17/2 chance was patiently ridden before making headway between horses in the straight and led in the closing stages to beat Kilcrea Rock by three-quarters of a length.
The Too Darn Hot gelding was providing current connections with an immediate return after changing hands last autumn and trainer Michael Grassick said: “He’d been working well. I’d be good friends with Kris Weld and he recommended him. Luckily enough Ken (Campbell) was looking for a horse, and I thought he’d fit the bill.
“There might be something for him on Guineas weekend. He’s bred to stay. He’s closely related to Royal Diamond, who won an Irish Leger.”
Brighter day for a Coen double
BEN Coen bookended the card with a first and last-race double aboard Halon Bay and Darius Dark.
The former opened his account at the third attempt in the seven-furlong Fitz Agriplant Maiden, with the 10/1 shot, available at double those odds earlier in the day, responding gamely under pressure to get up close home for a neck verdict over Valentino Eclipse.
“He has improved with every run and got a strong ride from Ben. He’s a big horse and time will do him good. He’ll get a mile and two furlongs,” said Ciaran Murphy, who trains the Coulsty gelding for the Charlestown Dancers Syndicate.
Darius Dark followed up a victory at Cork last month in the concluding Breast Cancer Ireland Handicap, with the Newtown Anner Stud’s homebred son of Dark Angel ridden to lead well over a furlong out and kept right up to his work to beat Bay Of Stars by half a length.
“He’s a big backward fella. Ben said he was on and off the bridle and he was still green. He’s a bit of a work in progress,” said trainer Johnny Murtagh of the 7/2 winner. “He stays a mile and four well and the last run really zoned him in.”