THE Listed Darley Irish EBF Kooyonga Stakes proved to be ‘magical’ for trainer Danny McLoughlin, as Duckadilly (7/1) led home fast-finishing stablemate Syzygy (50/1).
Ben Coen rode Duckadilly in rear of mid-division of this nine-runner field and the pair took closer order at the two-furlong pole.
Good headway
Duckadilly made good headway to pick up the lead a furlong down and kept on well to see it out by half a length from stablemate Syzygy, who got up for second close home.
McLoughlin said: “We had her in the sale last year and we weren’t getting what we wanted for her (vendored at 150,000gns). We took her back and the plan was to try and win a stakes race and maybe go back there (sales).
“To win my first blacktype race here, and to have the 1-2 as well, is unbelievable! I couldn’t imagine it working out like that. It is magical really.”
Coen collects
Ben Coen completed the first leg of a double on the day when Jon Riggens (7/2) got back to winning ways for Eddie Lynam in the extended five-furlong handicap.
A beaten favourite on the Curragh on Wednesday, the DWPJ Investments-owned eight-year-old travelled well in second two furlongs from home and disputed with a furlong to go. He led narrowly soon after and, despite Alfred Tennyson’s best efforts, that challenger was a short-head in arrears at the line.
Lynam said: “I wouldn’t be an optimistic sort of a fella and I fancied Jon Riggens on Wednesday.
“Sarah (Lynam, daughter) rode him out on Friday morning and said he was in great form. All the people I told to back him on Wednesday, you couldn’t back him today at 7/2!”
RYAN Moore earned the plaudits after driving Isaac Newton (5/1) home by a nose in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Hill Of Tara Stakes over nine furlongs for Aidan O’Brien, Coolmore partners and Westerberg.
Dropping back in trip following a fifth place in a Listed Derby Trial at Lingfield last month, the Camelot colt was virtually last entering the final quarter of a mile and still had plenty on his plate in seventh a furlong out.
However, Moore galvanised him to stay on strongly and got up to beat 5/4 favourite Hotazhell by the minimum margin. Hotazhell was demoted to third, with Geryon promoted to second, after the former was deemed to have caused interference to the latter in the closing stages.
“Ryan gave him a helluva ride,” stable representative Chris Armstrong said. “Ryan felt from riding him on his last run in Lingfield, to bring him back in trip and to ride him that way.
“I’d say we will probably try to keep him to nine furlongs and maybe go to Leopardstown for the Group 3 Meld Stakes in the middle of July.”
Leave it late
Happy Henry (12/1) surged home in first-time cheekpieces to get off the mark in the 0-70 five-furlong handicap by three-quarters of a length.
The five-year-old gelding came off the bridle a couple of furlongs out, but began to get more than interested inside the final furlong and finished powerfully to get his head in front close home.
Owner/breeder/trainer Willie McCreery said: “I just thought with the blinkers, the minute he didn’t see a horse, he stopped. He rocketed home, so I am going to keep the cheekpieces!”
Nick of time
Deluca Chop (5/1) delighted Shane Duffy when using a seam on the inner to win division one of the mile-and-five-furlong handicap. He didn’t look to have a lot of room on the rail as he tussled deep in the final furlong, but a route opened and he gamely went through it for Patrick McGettigan to strike by half a length.
Duffy said: “We have had maybe 12 or 14 seconds and thirds for Sean Dalton (owner), so it was about time we got our head in front for him!
“We decided today just to switch things around a bit, put the visor on him and just make him gallop to the line.”
McGettigan was handed a four-day ban over a careless-riding incident in the final quarter of a mile.
THE Fozzy Stack-trained Bodhi Bear (10/3f) was strongest at the finish in a competitive renewal of the €25,000 five-furlong handicap.
Seamie Heffernan tracked the front runners and asked his mount for more passing the furlong pole. Bodhi Bear responded to soon lead and stayed on well to score by three-quarters of a length.
“I was just saying to the owners, Sophie and John (Barrett) before the race, that since he has been gelded, he has definitely settled down,” Stack reflected.
On future plans, he added: “I suppose the Rockingham (Handicap) - the Scurry might be stretching it a bit.”
Speedy sort
Donnacha O’Brien’s Cleodolinda progressed from an opening runner-up spot at this track last month when successful in the Lynn Lodge Stud Irish EBF Maiden over five furlongs.
The 11/8 favourite eyed the leaders from mid-division and Gavin Ryan, in Mrs Annemarie O’Brien’s colours, guided her to dispute a furlong and a half from home. She led definitively at the furlong marker and was kept up to her work to score by a length.
“She is a filly with plenty of speed, and she has a very good pedigree,” Ryan commented.
“Two of her sisters that were with Donnacha - Usdi Atohi and Asean - were both stakes performers.”
Support justified
Jurality (3/1f) stayed on nicely to claim division two of the mile-and-five-furlong handicap for the Roy Racing Syndicate.
Billy Lee sat in the box seat in second and kicked on two furlongs out. Jurality kept finding in the final furlong and was two and a quarter lengths too good for a keeping-on Synchronize.
Paul Flynn said: “Things just went smoothly today and we are only learning how to ride him now, we were always holding him up. I think he just likes to be let at it.”