RACING resumed for the 2026/’27 season at Thurles on Thursday, where the opening flat fixture saw apprentice rider Conor Cusack complete a hat-trick of recent wins on the Henry de Bromhead-trained Starflow (5/1).
In division one of the Boyle Sports Handicap over an extended mile, the Roger Brookhouse-owned son of Starman defied his latest 5lb penalty when scoring by a length and three-quarters from 9/2 joint-favourite Cause I Like You, with fellow joint-favourite The Blue Panther a further half-length away in third.
Cusack, who claims 7lb, reported: “It is lovely to get on a horse like this so early in my career and today was probably his best performance. He is starting to enjoy racing now. I’ll be riding in Dundalk this winter and Kevin O’Ryan is doing a great job as my agent.”
Slatterys on fire
The in-form father-and-son combination of Andy and Andrew Slattery were on the mark in the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden over an extended mile, scoring with Sean Greaney’s King Christophe (11/8 joint-favourite). The son of King Of Change made virtually all the running and held on well to score by a length and a quarter from ‘joint-jolly’ Dawnmore.
Slattery senior stated: “He is a bit fresh in himself, so I might run him again in a nursery in Leopardstown before the season ends. Sean is with us a year now and it is grand to get him a winner. Sean picked him out himself (for €13,000), so I can’t take any credit for that.”
Kiss kicks on
Racing began with the extended mile Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Fillies) Maiden, with evens favourite Silver Kiss scoring under Chris Hayes for owner/breeder Moyglare Stud and Dermot Weld.
The 93-rated filly got the run of the race and held on in the home straight to score by a length and a quarter from Light Of Saxony.
Hayes reported: “She is a lovely, consistent filly, deserved to get her turn and I’d imagine that will be her finished for the year.
“I could see her running in the Athasi Stakes (early May). She wouldn’t want the ground to be any slower than today.”
THERE was an impressive winner of the mile-and-a-half Killinan Handicap as The Austrian (2/1 - 13/8 favourite) defied 10st, giving away plenty weight, to score by a length and a quarter for Jessica Harrington and owner/breeder Mrs Patino of Anamoine Limited.
Out of a half-sister to Snow Fairy, the New Bay gelding was bumped leaving stalls under Seamie Heffernan. After quickening to lead in the home straight, he edged right in the closing strides and briefly impeding runner-up and stablemate Pierre Grosse.
Harrington’s son-in-law Richie Galway commented: “The Austrian is from a special family and we’ve always liked him but he has taken a little bit of time to come to hand.
“I’m not sure whether we’ll get another run into him this season but he is a nice horse for next year. He is owned by Mrs Patino, a great long-term owner of ours, and she is very fond of this horse.”
Making amends
Tarriff (8/1) made up for a Listowel Festival defeat last month when landing division two of the Boyle Sports Handicap under Rory Cleary for Conor Maxwell. Initially held up in rear on the outer, the Breen White-owned chesnut eventually scored a short-head success over Princess Chloe.
Maxwell said: “We went to Listowel really fancying him and while he had a wide draw there, was drawn wide again today, which actually suits him as he likes a bit of room.He is only a light little horse and looks like a Dundalk horse but he wants slow ground. We’ll try and get him out quickly again before the end of the season.”
Gaining compensation
Another to gain compensation following last month’s Listowel Festival was Sunny South East (11/4), who produced a good effort to win the two-mile maiden for owner Sean Dalton, jockey Michael Kennealy and trainer Eddie Power.
The son of Valirann quickened away to win by three and a half lengths from Teofil, with trainer Power reporting: “We’ll go back jumping now and go to Cheltenham’s October meeting, where Michael (Kenneally) will be able to ride him in a conditional jockeys’ race.”
GAVIN Cromwell completed an across-the-card double as, having won at Tramore with Asthelightdeclines, Blissful Bonita (5/2 joint-favourite) landed the concluding two-mile handicap, under Gary Carroll.
The Mark Coleman-owned filly was engaged in a duel with Glittering Gem from three out, eventually gaining an advantage in the final furlong to win by a half-length.
Cromwell’s race planner Troy Cullen reported: “She is a lovely filly but has taken time and is still raw. She stays really well and has schooled, so there was talk of going hurdling but might wait until next year.”
Mullins happy with Max
Max Meridius (100/30 joint-favourite) registered a second career success when landing the mile-and-a-half Welcome Back Handicap by seven lengths under Jimmy Dalton for Tom Mullins, in the colours of the trainer’s wife Helen.
Bought for €3,000 as a yearling, the five-year-old son of Belardo routed 13 rivals, leaving fellow joint-favourite Red Glory the runner-up.
Trainer Mullins reported: “He is a better flat horse than jumper at the moment but might get to grips with jumping. He has size, is a fine horse who was bought cheaply and will eventually jump a fence.”