DRAGON Of Malta (11/4 favourite) completed a notable double in winning on consecutive days at the Listowel Harvest Festival on Tuesday, when the Gzira Syndicate-owned gelding landed the Kelleher Feeds and Agri Supplies Handicap.
Connections had the foresight to book Julian Pietropaolo well in advance of the race, with the rider’s 7lb claim offsetting his 7lb penalty incurred for scoring under Donagh O’Connor at the course on Monday.
In common with all of the day’s winners who either raced in first or second place, Dragon Of Malta led entering the home straight and finished strongly to beat Mathan by five lengths.
Regarding the Pat O’Donnell-trained winner, part-owner Peter Keogh said: “I rode Dragon Of Malta this morning, gave him four furlongs and he was absolutely bouncing. He was jig-jogging coming back in, ate every nut and has an unbelievable constitution. He has been a superstar for us.
“When I was looking at the calendar, I felt that Listowel is just a stone’s throw away from Pat’s, so felt that getting a 7lb-claimer at least gave us the option of running a second time under a penalty.
“There was no phone call from Oisin [Murphy, visiting from the UK] this year, so we said we’d get a claimer. Julian has ridden very well recently, so we gave him a go. I have to thank the lads for allowing me to run the horse a second time. One of the boys flew into Dublin two days ago and had a flight home booked, but cancelled it.”
Family triumph
The Blue Panther (10/1) registered a second course all-the-way-success in the Rose Hotel Handicap, scoring for new trainer Robbie Burns and his daughter jockey Nicola Burns.
Previously successful at the course in June 2024, the seven-year-old travelled well throughout this seven-furlong race and eventually scored readily from Nibras Rainbow.
“I have the horse four months and the McNallys [owners] had been with me 15 years ago,” said the winning trainer.
“With Nicola being on the scene now, they rang me and said they’d love to give me this fella to train and for Nicola to ride. He is a very honest horse and we decided not to change what seemed to work here previously, so repeated those front-running tactics. He broke well and has a touch more toe over this distance than I thought.”
TUESDAY’S feature race was the Listed Edmund and Josie Whelan Memorial Listowel Stakes, with Cristal Clere (11/2) being another winner to run over consecutive days, when scoring for owner-trainer John Nallen and jockey Seamie Heffernan.
Placed fifth in the previous day’s one-mile-three-furlong handicap, Cristal Clere disputed the lead and got the better of runner-up Norwalk Havoc in the final furlong, for a length-and-a-quarter victory.
Nallen commented: “We initially schooled him over jumps, but dragged his back and then Seanie [Bowen, nephew and UK-based flat jockey] was wanting a horse to ride at Dundalk, so we went on the flat with him. For a horse we bought to go to Belharbour, he’s been very lucky for us.
“If ever a horse deserved to win a listed race, it was him as he had been knocking on the door and he also put Seanie on the map. He has given us great days. He got stuck in the ground here yesterday and just isn’t as competitive with horses around him. He is like me, as he likes to get things his own way!
“We have had a lot of winners at Listowel over the years, when you could get money off bookmakers. It is a mighty track here at Listowel.”
Title leader
Dylan Browne McMonagle maintained his strong pace in the jockeys’ championship, with success in the MAC Hardware Irish EBF Rated Race on the Joseph O’Brien-trained Limestone (5/4 favourite), for owners Valmont, Al Shaqab Racing and Ballylinch Stud.
The New Bay-colt led entering the home straight and held on well to beat Redemption Road by a half length.
Stable representative Michael Halford said: “Today seems to be all about being in the first two and all the winners are coming from being up with the pace. He was drawn in four and ‘Plan A’ was to go forward, but I don’t think it played to his strengths making the running as he was a bit green and got lonely.
“He is a lovely horse and I liked the way they pulled clear of the third. He was due that and I was impressed by the way he picked up early in the home straight.”
Brilliant Boyne
Wesley Joyce is another who is in contention for an end-of-season award and moved to 18 winners this term on Sunriseontheboyne (13/2), in the Listowel Arms Hotel Handicap.
The son of Cotai Glory led soon after the start and, while challenged by runner-up Chazzesmee early in the home straight, rallied to score by five lengths.
Winning owner-trainer Mick Mulvany said: “Myself and Wesley have been lucky at all the festivals this year but, unfortunately, I don’t have the firepower to win him the apprentice jockeys’ championship [trails Robert Whearty by three].
“I’m hoping other trainers can give him a chance, as he has had his problems, but is back riding as well as ever and deserves it. He works full-time with us and drives over an hour to be in the yard before 8am every morning. He is a good rider, that’s what he is, but definitely needs a bit of support.”
Regarding Sunriseontheboyne, he added: “We normally ride him from the front and, once he got there today, he just kept quickening from the last bend home. Wesley knows him well and he is a good solid horse, so hopefully it is onwards and upwards now.”
ON a day when the shock death of world-famous stallion Wootton Bassett was announced, his debutant son Straight Up (9/4 favourite) was an appropriately taking winner of the opening WTW Willis Irish EBF Maiden over seven furlongs.
Carrying the colours of Flaxman Stables, John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, jockey Wayne Lordan produced Straight Up to lead over a furlong out and scored readily by three lengths from stablemate King Of Sparta.
Trainer Aidan O’Brien’s representative Chris Armstrong said: “He’s a lovely horse and has plenty of size and scope. To do that without a prior run was a very good performance and Wayne was delighted with him.
“He jumped a bit slow, but was able to recover and his last furlong was his best. Whatever he does at two will be a bonus and could be a lovely middle-distance horse for next year. We’ll try to get one more run into him this year and then put him away.”
Regarding the news of the death of Wootton Bassett, he added: “The news was out early on social media this morning and obviously he is a massive loss. When you look at the few years he has been at Coolmore, what he achieved was astronomical and we were fortunate to have so many nice ones by him.
“His progeny have engines, minds - they have everything. There are obviously more crops to come, but his death is a massive blow to the whole team. To lose your star is a big one and he was the ultimate. We have to look forward now, so hopefully there are a few more stars to replace him at stud.”
Doubling up
The front-runners rout was completed in the finale, as Saratoga (6/4 favourite) completed doubles for O’Brien and Lordan in making all to land the Jet, Peggy and Eamonn O’Carroll Memorial Handicap over a mile and six furlongs.
Armstrong reported: “We had thought a bit of him for a while and he had a lovely first run as a two-year-old in Killarney. He had three lovely runs in maidens and the handicapper gave him a mark of 80, which we thought he was very nicely treated off.
“This race presented itself at the right time and going up in trip suited.
“He stays very well, his pedigree gets better with time and it is nice to get him off the mark. He could be one for the Loughbrown Stakes at the Curragh next.”