THE Melbourne Cup is just one of a number of options ‘on the table’ for Sons And Lovers after appreciating a step up to a mile and a half to take the Group 3 Tote Ballyroan Stakes, the highlight of a double for Joseph O’Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle.
The 6/5 favourite made all the running and after being strongly pressed by chief market rival Crystal Black from over a furlong out, proved the stronger in the closing stages to score by half a length with Siege Of Troy the same distance further back in third.
“He’s had some very good runs this year and it was his first time going the trip. We were pretty hopeful that he would enjoy it”, said O’Brien.
“There is a race here for him on Champions Weekend (Kilternan Stakes) and we’re also going to look at some international targets in the autumn.
“The owners (H O S Syndicate) have Absurde who ran well in Melbourne a couple of times and there is a good chance we could look at something like that for him. There are also races in the Middle East, so everything is on the table at the moment.”
Double up
Cadogan, narrowly denied by Henri Matisse on Irish Guineas weekend last year but only seen once since, initiated the O’Brien/Browne McMonagle double in the mile and a furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
The Nick Williams-owned 7/4 favourite edged left just after leading over a furlong out before keeping on to beat the rallying Slaney Drive by a length. The placings were confirmed following a stewards’ enquiry with the winning rider now one ahead (57-56) of Colin Keane in the flat jockeys’ championship.
“He’s been a talented horse but has been a bit frustrating to train. We’re very happy with how we have him now and you’d be looking forward to the rest of the season with him,” said O’Brien.
“I’d imagine he’ll probably end up in a handicap and it would be more likely that he would go 10 (furlongs) rather than come back to a mile.”
JOHAN recorded his 10th career win and first at Group 3 level when making all in the Bahrain Turf Club Desmond Stakes.
The Jack Channon-trained gelding has run well fresh in the past but was very weak in the market on his belated seasonal debut drifting out to 12/1 having been as short as 7/2 overnight.
Ronan Whelan was able to dictate matters on John and Julia Aisbitt’s homebred son of Zoffany and didn’t really have to ask for an effort until near the furlong pole, although he was all out close home to hold off the Johnny Murtagh-trained pair Alakazi and Chicago Critic by half a length and the same.
“Obviously his form suggests that he runs well fresh and the lads pinpointed him to come here fresh. He likes to get into a rhythm, so we were happy enough to bowl away and the way the track sets up played to his strengths. The Channons have always been very good to me and it’s great to repay them,” said Whelan.
Runaway fashion
Montreal showed the benefit of his debut run here a fortnight earlier when taking the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Maiden in runaway fashion.
The 6/4 shot made all under Wayne Lordan and took command early in the straight drawing clear to beat Strikewhileitshot by eight lengths.
The son of Sea The Stars is trained by Aidan O’Brien for the Coolmore partners and stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “He jumped slow on debut and was just a bit green and immature, but he’s improved nicely in the two weeks at home. Wayne controlled it from the front setting a nice even tempo and kept gradually building it up.”
He added: “All the big options for the rest of the year are open to him and he’ll be a lovely middle-distance horse for next year. He’s put himself in the mix to come back here Champions Weekend for the Champion Juvenile.”
ALTIMARA, trained by Ross O’Sullivan for Yvonne Lavin, overcame the burden of top-weight in the Tote Handicap with the 13/2 co-favourite of three striking the front inside the final 150 yards under Donagh O’Connor to beat Shelbourne Flyer by a length.
Dylan Browne McMonagle picked up a two-day careless riding ban on the runner-up.
“As a two-year-old it looked like she was going to be a nice filly but she’s very big and maybe just got very weak on us. She then got very keen and wouldn’t settle in her races, so it’s taken a long time for this to come together. I’m delighted for Donagh who is a great horseman and very underrated,” said O’Sullivan.
Sinbad My Dad opened his account at the 19th attempt in the BoyleSports Lengthen The Odds Handicap with the 20/1 shot making most under Joe Harnett and staying on well to beat Medieval Night by a length and a half.
“I didn’t think from the front was the way to do it, but he broke well from a bad draw and got into a nice position. He let him bowl along rather than disappoint him and he made the right decision,” said Seamus Fahey who trains the winner for the Butler/Griffin/Fahey partnership.
Hands full
UK-based Teagan Padgett literally had her hands full both before, during and after the Tote Fegentri World Championship (Q.R.) Handicap as the free-running Louiescall (7/1) built up a sizeable lead early on and after being reeled in, kept on strongly again in the closing stages to beat Party Dress by three lengths.
“He probably should have won in Galway last year and we were aiming there again this year but then decided to come here.
”It’s great to see him getting the (mile and seven furlongs) trip and I’m delighted for the lads Bryan Grehan and Gerry Hughes,” said trainer Harry Kelly.