FOURTH in a listed race on Champions Weekend, the Eddie and Patrick Harty-trained Killashee Warrior dropped down in grade to win the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden (Smullen Series).
Sent off 7/4 under Jamie Powell, the grey chased odds-on favourite Duke Of Cumberland from the outset.
Pushed along to dispute entering the straight, the Liquid Lunch Syndicate-owned filly got to the front over a furlong out, keeping on strongly to score by a length and three-quarters.
Eddie Harty said: “She had a lovely run first time out and most of her owners are in England, so then we decided to run her at Leopardstown on Champions Day. We’ve always had an eye on a three-year-old campaign with her and she has earned her break, so we’ll see what next year brings.”
Extended lead
Dylan Browne McMonagle extended his lead at the head of the jockeys’ championship to six, when guiding the Joseph O’Brien-trained Green Carrera to a narrow success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.
Pushed along to dispute two furlongs out, the 7/2 chance soon headed market leader Cape Primrose. Ridden to assert at the furlong pole, the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned filly kept on well to score by half a length.
Stable representative Kevin Blake reported: “She shaped well first time and you always hope they come forward. She stepped forward really well, she battled hard and, while I’d say the runner-up had a look, our filly was good and tough.”
Fighting back
Colin Keane later reduced the gap to five when partnering the Willie Mullins-trained Sorrentino to win the Horse and Jockey Maiden.
A former bumper winner, the Ballylinch Stud-owned gelding had been runner-up on two of his previous three starts on the level.
The 7/4 chance made rapid headway on the outside of runners to go second entering the straight. Leading over two furlongs out, the son of New Bay stayed on strongly to win by eight and a half lengths.
Keane said: “He probably bumped into a couple of good ones along the way. I thought there was nothing coming from behind, so I thought I’d get him up and rolling, and he hit the line well. You’d like to think he’ll be a nice horse for flat handicaps next summer.”
SALES-bound Truth Be Told gained a timely first success, as the Dermot Weld-trained, Moyglare Stud-owned and bred gelding landed the Thurles Killinan Handicap under Chris Hayes.
The 15/2 chance arrived from off the pace to lead inside the final furlong, going on to score by a length and a quarter.
Hayes commented: “He has always shown plenty pace at home and I got no instructions today, so I said I’d follow them around and hope to do them for toe, and that’s what he did.
“It was his first time over the trip and, on his dam’s side, he is bred to get the distance. The penny has finally dropped with him and he is off to the sales, so will be fun for someone.”
Poignant success
Andrew Slattery trained his first winner for owner Olivia Hoare, doing so in a poignant success with the ex-Edward O’Grady-trained Queen Aethelflaed landing the Thurles BoyleSports Supporting Irish Racing Handicap.
The daughter of Saxon Warrior, who was sent off 11/1 on her handicap debut, raced prominently under Joey Sheridan before scoring by a neck from Mythical Rock.
Late trainer O’Grady had given Slattery senior his first job, who later stated: “That hadn’t a lot to do with me as this was Edward’s horse, so his lads had been doing the work. I didn’t know much about her, but she is a nice filly and this is Mrs Hoare’s first horse with me. We could step her up to a mile and a quarter.”
THE Mark Molloy-owned and trained Tickling stayed on best under Killian Leonard to record a first career win in the Welcome Back To Thurles Handicap.
Held up in mid-division early on, Leonard was pushing along to go fourth on the outside early in the home straight.
Coming through to challenge two furlongs out, the 11/4 chance headed Nancee Spain a furlong from the finish, keeping on well to win by three lengths.
Molloy said: “She is not a big filly, I’ve always loved her and she has a great mind and attitude.
“It was just finding the right ground for her and small three-year-olds racing against older horses also need to learn their game.
“She just took a few runs and ran a great race the last day, when the ground was against her. We might give her one run in Dundalk and see.”
Needed
every yard
A winner over hurdles at Listowel, the Harry Rogers-trained Grann’s Boy made the most of a much lower rating on the flat to take the concluding www.thurlesraces.ie Handicap.
Sent off 7/4 favourite in the colours of the Nap Racing Syndicate, the gelding was settled in mid-division by jockey Adam Caffrey.
Pushed along over two furlongs out, the five-year-old came through to throw down a strong challenge to Migdam over 100 yards out. Finding plenty for pressure Grann’s Boy led in the dying strides to score by a head.
Caffrey said: “The biggest worry today was the ground, but thankfully he got away with it.
“At the top of the hill, they quickened and got away from me a bit and I didn’t have the pace to go with them, so he needed every yard of the two miles.”