CHARLES Darwin (4/11 favourite) and Scandinavia picked up where they left off last season, with the high-class Aidan O’Brien-trained pair lighting up this eight-race programme.
Ryan Moore was aboard both, with the former, who was registering his fourth win in a row, striking first in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Committed Stakes.
Despite edging right from the stalls, the Magnier, Smith, Tabor and Westerberg-owned bay made all in this listed affair and responded well when ridden from the furlong pole, coming home a length and a quarter to the good.
“He’s a bull of a horse. He was under the penalty here and he will strip a lot fitter for the next day,” stable representative Chris Armstrong commented. “He will go from here, all being well, to the Lacken (Stakes, Group 3) at Naas and then the Commonwealth Cup.”
Winning streak
Also registering a fourth consecutive win, St Leger hero Scandinavia (11/10 favourite), who is owned by the Tabor, Smith, Magnier triumvirate, put his rivals to the sword in the Bar 1 Betting Vintage Crop Stakes.
While Dallas Star attempted to make all in this listed heat, he couldn’t hold off the winner from the furlong pole and there was a length and a half between them at the line.
“Lovely, Ryan was delighted with him,” O’Brien, who was completing a cross-card treble after taking the opener at Limerick with Signora, reflected. “The Saval Beg (at Leopardstown) is the plan now.”
Stepping up in class
There was further joy for the Magnier, Smith, Tabor, Westerberg alliance in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden (Smullen Series), with Latin America (5/6 favourite) building on the promise of his debut effort in this 18-runner heat.
A £280,000 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale purchase, the Ben Coen-ridden Gleneagles colt got to the front a furlong and a half from home and kept on well from there to beat Genchev by two and a quarter lengths.
“He is a nice horse. He was one of our better two-year-old’s last year, but got a few little hold ups,” winning trainer Johnny Murtagh revealed.
“He should come on a lot from today’s experience, and he is going to have to because we will probably step him up in class now.”
THE success of Thundering On in the feature Irish Stallion Farms EBF Salsabil Stakes was undoubtedly the highlight of a cross-card four-timer for Joseph O’Brien. The first part of a double for Joey Sheridan, the Shapoor Mistry-owned chesnut was the only maiden in the line-up for this Group 3 contest.
Still returned the 11/4 favourite (from 10/3), she was briefly short of room halfway up the straight, but soon came with her effort between horses.
In front over a furlong from home and quickly darting clear, there was three and a quarter lengths between her and runner-up Emmeleia on crossing the line.
“I thought she was impressive. Her dam (Thundering Nights) was a great filly for us and it’s nice that she is following in her footsteps,” O’Brien, who also had two winners at Limerick, remarked. “We might look at something like the Prix de Diane (at Chantilly) now.”
A different proposition
O’Brien and Sheridan later claimed the Future Stars Raceday 16th May Handicap, with Obscenity (9/2 joint-favourite) leading home 22 rivals in this 10-furlong heat. A well-beaten third when last seen at Bellewstown, the Newtown Anner Stud Farm-owned four-year-old was a different proposition in a first-time visor.
Settled behind the leaders and quickly shooting clear when ridden to the front over a furlong from home, he eased to a five-and-a-half-length win.
“The headgear helped and Joey thought the better ground suited him,” O’Brien, reflected.
Making all
The aforementioned pair had to settle for fourth with King Of Cloughan in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF 2yo Maiden, as Tribeca made all under Donagh O’Connor.
A £575,000 yearling purchase and owned by Amo Racing and Anne O’Callaghan, the son of Blue Point proved quite easy to back, drifting from early shows of 3/1 to a starting price of 17/2.
Responding well when ridden from the furlong pole, he held off the late effort of Barrow Boy, with half a length between them on crossing the line.
“He’s still babyish, he’s still green, and I don’t know how quick he is yet,” winning trainer Robson De Aguiar reported.
“He’s an end of April horse and he has a lot to improve. A big, strong horse and I’d say he has a bright future.”
REGISTERING a 10th career win and a first on turf, Sporting Hero showed his rivals a clean pair of heels in the opening Kilberry Apprentice Handicap. Trained by Bill Durkan and owned by son Neil, the 69-rated bay soon got to the front under Jamie Orr and had the rail to guide him.
Finding plenty when ridden, the easy-to-back 11/1 chance (from 4s early) kept up the gallop in the closing stages and beat the hat-trick seeking An Laochmor (5/1 favourite) by two and a quarter lengths.
“I said to Jamie, ‘don’t disappoint him’ and walking the track I knew there was no yielding in it, I think it’s very quick ground. It suited him,” assistant trainer Gary Bannon reflected. “He leads two-year-olds, that is his job. He’s getting plenty of work and the young lad has given him a great ride.”
Close finish
Also racing off a mark of 69, Kool One got up close home to claim the concluding Cusack Hotel Group Family Day July 15th Handicap. Ridden by James Ryan and owned by his parents Kieran and Mairead, the Conor Maxwell-trained bay was returned an 11/2 joint-favourite.
Settled in mid-division before making progress from early in the straight, the versatile five-year-old was switched to the outer with two furlongs to go. Soon ridden, he picked up well inside the final 200 yards and was a neck in front of Granville Street on crossing the line.
“It’s great to get another win for my parents,” Ryan enthused. “He did it well, we had a bit of traffic early on in the straight, but once we got out and got rolling, he hit the line strong.”