NOEL Meade’s Caught U Sleeping (11/1) left behind two moderate runs this season to take the featured Darley Irish EBF Naas Oaks Trial Stakes under Colin Keane.
A winner and listed-placed as a juvenile, but only eighth in both outings this term, including in the Athasi Stakes five days earlier, the daughter of Cotai Glory was stepping up in trip to a mile and a quarter for the first time. Close to the pace from the start, she hit the front early in the straight to beat La Fogata by three-parts of a length.
Meade explained: “Tony O’Callaghan owns most of her with Tony Clarke. Last Monday, after she ran at the Curragh, he said ‘what do you think?’ and I said ‘I was nearly going to run her next Saturday because I think a mile is too short, but I’d feel like a fool if she didn’t get the trip’. “He said that I should go and run her again, that he wouldn’t stop me. Colin said she’ll get a mile and a half. She just doesn’t quicken up that well, but she can keep up a good gallop.”
Narrow success
Aidan O’Brien, Wayne Lordan and the Coolmore partners won both two-year-old maidens on the card. Sent off 3/10 favourite for the #Matchbooklovesracing Irish EBF Maiden after finishing runner-up at the Curragh on debut, Carry The Flag made odds-on backers sweat before claiming a narrow victory.
The No Nay Never colt was up front throughout the five-furlong contest, alongside 80/1 outsider Abletai, but it was only in the last couple of strides that he mastered that rival for a head success as stablemate Sun Goddess flashed home to force a dead-heat for second.
Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “Wayne just felt on the quicker ground, he couldn’t get full traction, he was just rolling around. When the other filly came on his outside, it really helped him. He’ll put himself in the Ascot mix now.” By contrast, Confucius and Lordan had little difficulty in justifying an even shorter price of 1/5 in the Matchbook El Classico #100 Moneyback Special Irish EBF Maiden.
Having just failed to get up close home on his Curragh debut over five furlongs, the No Nay Never colt made all over an extra furlong here to post a three and three-quarter lengths victory over Alaskan Dream.
“Wayne says that in time he’ll have no problem going up again in trip, but he’s had the two runs now and looks a ready-made Ascot two-year-old. I’d say he’s probably one for the Coventry,” said Armstrong.
CHICAGO Pope (5/1) was prominent throughout on the favoured far rail in the Declan Landy Fencing Handicap. Shaken up at halfway in the six-furlong contest, Ben Coen’s mount led inside the final furlong to beat Tahcahwin by half a length.
The Starspangledanner gelding is owned in partnership by Tony Smurfit and Samuel Mencoff.
Winning trainer, Johnny Murtagh said: “There aren’t that many three-year-old-only sprints, €50,000, nice pot, very competitive race. We’re delighted with that performance. Ben says he thinks a stiff six furlongs is a good trip for him, and I think all ground comes alike to him.”
Good family
Jim Bolger sent out his first winner for the season when Sparan Nua sprang a 25/1 surprise in the Gresham House Fillies Maiden over a mile.
Jackie Bolger’s daughter of Dawn Approach moved up to dispute the lead with odds-on favourite Cromac Quay heading to the final furlong, and was ridden out by Declan McDonogh to account for that rival by three and three-quarter lengths.
Travelling head lad, Ger Flynn enthused: “She’s from a very good family that we’ve had for years. Kevin Manning really liked her when he rode her work last week.”
IN the TRM Race, Replace, Rehydrate Rated Race over a mile and a quarter, Joseph O’Brien’s Perisher (11/8 favourite) made virtually all in the hands of Dylan Browne McMonagle.
Owned by Atlantic Thoroughbreds, the grey Australia gelding had seen off all his rivals by the furlong pole and accounted for Pierre Grosse by four and a half lengths. Stable representative Michael Halford commented: “He enjoyed the step up in trip and he’s a very straightforward horse.”
Trained locally by Ross O’Sullivan, Arctic Steps (10/1) stayed on strongly under Patrick McGettigan to land the Danny Trundle Heating & Plumbing Handicap over five furlongs.
Owned by the jockey’s sponsor Amanda Torrens, the four-year-old was prominent throughout on the far side of the track and held off Nouvel Espoir by half a length. Assistant trainer Tom Harney said: “She has been very consistent on her last couple of runs and Patrick was good and strong on her there.”
Scurrying home late
Bint Majestic Roi (8/1) booked her ticket for the Scurry Handicap at the Curragh, when overcoming a troubled passage to win the Coonan Cawley LLP In Support Of McAuley Place Handicap over six furlongs.
Racing behind the leaders on the far rail, the Ghaiyyath four-year-old had nowhere to go a furlong from the finish and jockey Andrew Slattery had to wait for a gap before flashing home late. With I Bid You Ajou also doing his best work late on, only a short head separated that pair at the line.
Winning trainer, Andy Slattery reported: “We were worried about the ground. She’d probably have been a very unlucky loser if she got beat. She just lacks a bit of toe on that ground. She probably wants seven furlongs really, that’s her trip.
“Andrew didn’t want me to run her, he said the ground was too quick. I said that I wanted to see if she was one for the Scurry over six and a half. She had to win today to go for that.”