GARY Carroll was the jockey to follow in Co Meath as he rode a treble, with two of the winners supplied by long-standing ally Ger Lyons. Gavin Cromwell got the ball rolling for Carroll through 5/4 favourite Barrow Boy in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over an extended five furlongs. This Bayside Boy colt stepped up on a promising second over course and distance last month.
Carroll had him prominent from stall three and he improved into second on the approach to the final furlong.
He took over racing past that marker and kept on resolutely to score by two and a quarter lengths for owner Lindsay Laroche.
Carroll said: “It took me a while to hit top gear but, when I met the rising ground, I was strong out through the line. He’s a horse that I’d say would probably get seven furlongs in time. He probably wants another furlong.”
Reeling them in
Howd’yadoit (3/1) and Carroll reeled in brave front-runner Eclairage to claim the Round O Handicap for Lyons and owner Sean Jones. Eclairage blazed the trail over the minimum trip and only Howd’yadoit could live with her a furlong and a half out.
Howd’yadoit kept cutting into the deficit in the final furlong and collared her close home to get up by a head with the front pair six lengths clear of the remainder.
Assistant trainer Shane Lyons said: “He has done great. He has never let us down from two until three and won the big race in Naas, the Ballyhane Stakes. Everything was a bonus after that race.
“All these races will teach him. The likes of the Scurry (Curragh) and all those races are there for him over the summer.”
Outbattled
The Book Your Summer BBQ On June 7th Maiden over an extended 10 furlongs looked a two-horse race as Genchev (5/4) outbattled 5/6 favourite Reynir by half a length.
Reynir moved up to mount his challenge to Genchev as the race unfolded outside the final furlong, but Genchev was nothing if not tough in the closing stages as he refused to be passed.
He had the race won in the final 50 yards for owners David Spratt, Sean Jones and Mrs Lynne Lyons. Lyons said: “He did it well, he grinded it out. You’d like the way he did it and Gary was very complimentary of him. Gary is a very good tactical rider, he has a very good brain, and he’s a brilliant judge.”
Limestone on road to Ascot
LIMESTONE (13/8 favourite) successfully stepped up in trip to a mile and five furlongs in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Yeats Stakes to open up a path to Royal Ascot.
He led early, but Dylan Browne McMonagle soon settled him in third. The jockey was last to play his cards as he moved Limestone closer in second a furlong out.
The pair stayed on to hit the front in the final 150 yards and beat Asakir by a length and a quarter for Valmont, Al Shaqab Racing and Ballylinch Stud.
Joseph O’Brien said: “Great ride from Dylan, and a progressive horse with a good pedigree by a good stallion (New Bay). We will have to discuss with the ownership, but I would say that it will be likely that he could turn up in the three-year-old race in Ascot (Queen’s Vase), maybe next.”
Handicap debut
Santa Bravado enjoyed his first venture into handicap company in the €50,000 Royal County Handicap. Andy Oliver’s charge was held up in rear by Billy Lee and made headway inside the final quarter of a mile.
The 7/1 shot’s momentum saw him pick up Manton Bay in the closing stages and he saw it out by half a length for owners Brian Mellon and Paddy McBride. Oliver said: “We hoped this was the natural progression putting him into a race like this. He was getting every yard of it, so it looks like we have got options.”
Baggot Street popped up at 33/1 on stable debut for John O’Donoghue in the Flower Hill Apprentice Handicap with first-time blinkers applied.
From a prominent position, Rory Mulligan sent him into the lead halfway. They were joined, and indeed headed, by Imnotleavinyou and Wesley Joyce in the final furlong but finished best close home to land the spoils by three-quarters of a length.
O’Donoghue said: “She has run very effectively for Charlie (Johnston) all year last year, so we had a good line on her. We felt six furlongs from the front, bit of headgear, just keep it simple. Pierce (Gerard Molony, owner) is a good supporter of us and I’d imagine she will head off to the breeding shed.”
MATRIARCHAL fended off fast-finishing Cleodolinda to land the Irish Stallion Farm EBF Fillies Maiden over five furlongs. Andrew Slattery got her away well from the stalls to lead and, although they were joined by even-money favourite Big Negotiator a furlong and a half down, they led again in the closing stages. Slattery drove her home by half a length at 14/1 from runner-up Cleodolinda who put in good late work.
Owner/trainer Josh Halley said: “Today, we left her alone and she travelled away lovely for Andy and he didn’t fight with her. She kept going. Obviously, we trade and that is kind of our game at home.”
Johnny Murtagh’s Namiid (15/8 favourite) got his turn for owner Noel Hartley in the Cusack Hotel Group Family Day July 11th Maiden. He made all for Ben Coen on the stands’ side and had enough in the tank to hit the line half a length up on Xerling with a gap back to Grande Cuvee in third. The trainer said: “He’s been second a few times, but Ben says he seems like genuine - he just runs into one all the time. He did (put his neck out and fought) and that’s exactly what Ben said.”