THE strains of Beautiful Meath may not have been ringing out from Croke Park after happenings in the All-Ireland semi-final, but all was not lost for a couple of staunch supporters of ‘the Royals’, absent from Navan in favour of GAA headquarters. Noel Meade and Johnny Murtagh were both responsible for winners.
Murtagh’s Zuheila (5/2 favourite from 12/1 earlier in the day) took the Ardboyne Hotel Maiden on her debut, with Ben Coen in the plate in the Aga Khan silks. She may have been awkward from the stalls, but that didn’t ultimately stop the Blue Point filly from out-gunning Washington Street by half a length.
Coen commented: “She’s a nice filly, bred for speed. She has been doing things right at home and we were expecting a good run.
She was a bit green coming down the hill, but quickened well and had a good look when she hit the front. There should be plenty more to come from her.”
Star quality
Noel Meade booked Shane Foley for the spin on the Gary Matthews-owned Star Of Sapphire (4/5 favourite) in the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden.
Foley disclosed that he knew, even going to the start, that he was on a very nice type in this Starman juvenile, and the Bellewstown runner-up forged clear in the final furlong to defeat All Hail by three lengths.
“She jumped the gates really smart, but there was a strong headwind, so I didn’t want to be doing the donkey work with her and got her back in amongst them,” stated Foley. “She gave me a nice feel - now I know the opposition mightn’t have been strong, but she’s not a bad filly I’d say.”
FOURTH with Phoenix Pairc, behind Zuheila, the COR Racing Syndicate and Willie McCreery later stepped up to the number one spot courtesy of Bundle Of Interest in the Gain The Advantage Series Handicap.
Dylan Browne McMonagle successfully deputised for the injured Billy Lee on Bundle Of Interest, and the easy-to-back 15/2-scorer finished off well to account for Skillman Ave by a length and a quarter.
“Ciaran O’Reilly and all the family bred her, so I’m delighted for them - a home-bred filly to win for them, they have been patient with her,” said McCreery.
Ronan Whelan, rider of the fourth, El Fontenaro (7/2 joint favourite), reported that his mount hung right under pressure.
Another win for Tipperary
Johnny Murtagh and Ben Coen were generally expected to supplement Zuheila’s win, when their heavily-invested upon Nautical Force (4/9 into 1/4) went into battle in the four-runner Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race.
Wayne Lordan got first run on Rock Of Cashel (3/1), and Aidan O’Brien’s charge kept up a powerful gallop from over a furlong out to hold Nautical Force by two lengths.
“Obviously, Johnny’s horse brought a high level of form here. Wayne gave him a lovely ride and the race worked out for him beautifully,” commented Ballydoyle representative Chris Armstrong, on this victor in the Michael Tabor silks.
JIMMY Dalton partnered his first winner when in-foal My Girl Sioux (6/1) narrowly took the honours in the Newgrange Hotel Handicap, completing an across-the-card double for trainer Andy Slattery.
Slattery was on the mark at Sligo through Killeaney Bear in a maiden hurdle under Cian Quirke, and at Proudstown Park, Maurice Aherne’s five-year-old My Girl Sioux held the fast-finishing Best Suggestion by a head.
In what was an exciting conclusion to this sprint, there was just a short head back to Viamonte in third.
“When Jimmy came to me about three years ago, he had very little riding done,” explained Slattery. “Sam Coen and Adam Browne-Souza were there a bit before that, and he just kept improving and improving, and he’s lighter than the lads.
“He has a chance. This will do him the world of good. He’s with me every day and is after making giant leaps. His dad would be friendly with Colm O’Donoghue and he would be advising him as well. He’s from Tullamaine near Fethard.”
Wayne Hassett, jockey on 5/2 beaten favourite, Mint Man (sixth), reported that his mount hung badly right throughout.
Steve the dancer
Following on from their Limerick double the day before, Ado McGuinness and Sam Coen came up trumps again in the Navan Adventure Centre Apprentice Handicap, as Dancing Steve made light of a quick return to action.
The Breen White-owned Dancing Steve was runner-up at Dundalk the previous afternoon, and clearly revelled in the busy schedule. Favourite Red King was looking good when attempting to assert from two furlongs out, but Dancing Steve (2/1) was much too strong inside the final furlong to prevail by no less than three and a quarter lengths.
“He actually did a half an hour on the beach this morning with his shoulders in the water and I think that was the real key to him. He was like a ballerina there after it! Even though there was plenty of people swimming around him this morning, we got away with it,” revealed McGuinness.
Theophilos (9/2 into 7/2), beaten a long way last of the five, was found to have burst a blood vessel.
Successful spare
John McConnell sent out two horses for the Best Of Luck To Meath In The All-Ireland Semi-Finals Handicap, and his Tartaraghan (10/1) prevailed with stable companion Chopsticks (4/1) only fifth.
After a terrible spill from Woodshaw Whisper at Limerick a day earlier, Nicola Burns understandably sat this one out, and Keithen Kennedy came in for the winning spare as Tartaraghan beat Clever And Classy by a length and a quarter.
“It was a lovely spare to pick up and thanks a million to John for putting me up. I’ve had plenty of luck for him and he’s been very good to me throughout my career. It is nice to repay him,” said Kennedy. Mark Devlin and Rockview Stables own Tartaraghan.
Lisnadill (5/2 favourite, finished sixth) was found to be blowing hard post race.