TRAINER Johnny Murtagh and jockey Ben Coen combined for a double on Thursday, beginning with Onemoredance’s (2/1 favourite) success in the Tipperary Handicap.
Nine-time All-Ireland-winning Dublin footballer Ciaran Kilkenny forms part of the Whyte Hickey Rafter Kilkenny Syndicate and today Onemoredance raced second, led entering the straight and scored readily from Cala Bonita.
Meath native Murtagh quipped: “Ciaran is playing against Meath at the weekend and got very excited today so I hope he didn’t pull a muscle or anything!
“She is a big filly, has done very well from two to three (years) and ran well previously in Leopardstown. She had her ideal trip, ideal track and had cut in the ground. While it is a 0-60, we celebrate it like it was the All Ireland.”
Cheeky double
Murtagh and Coen later bagged the concluding handicap with Cheeky Wink (6/1), for Barnane Stud and Owen Heffer. The Masar filly raced prominently and scored readily from Rock Of Ireland.
Murtagh reported: “She had a lovely draw and I was hoping going a mile and a half would bring about another bit of improvement. She has strengthened up over the winter and racing over that distance on that ground is probably ideal.
“Ben said he was tight for room turning in but was going so well he was able to make his own gap. She is a homebred, we thought a bit of her last year and the owners (Barnane Stud) kept her in this year hoping for blacktype.”
THE most valuable event on the card was the opening €25,000 Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden, won in taking style by Joyful Tidings (morning 8/1, returned 7/4 favourite), for trainer Gavin Cromwell and jockey Gary Carroll.
The Dunphy Family Syndicate’s colt was withdrawn having bolted at the Curragh last month, with Carroll reflecting: “That was unfortunate, as it was a windy blustery day and the colours started rattling, so he bolted for 100 yards.
“I think Gavin has a nice bunch of two-year-olds. This is our first runner so it is nice to get a line on them.”
He added: “He is a strong-travelling horse and there was no real pace on my side but he is very straightforward so I did my own thing. He is a big strong horse so we weren’t too afraid about the slower ground but will appreciate nicer ground.”
Stakes target
Juddmonte homebred Bravais got off the mark for Ger Lyons later on the card, having previously been group-placed in France for Andre Fabre. The chesnut led close home under Colin Keane to beat Hurricane Ivor by three parts of a length.
Shane Lyons, representing his brother, reported: “It is great that Juddmonte give us these horses and it is a pleasure to train them. He could be a right horse to come back here for races like the Concorde Stakes and we will enjoy him for the summer. He will be a nice fun horse and Colin said he appreciated that ground, but wouldn’t want too much firm in it. Seven (furlongs) to a mile is ideal for him.”
TRAINER Andy Slattery credited winning owner Damien Moore with Bobbi Rosa’s success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, as the 7/2 shot showed a return to form under the trainer’s nephew Sam Coen.
Slattery stated: “We tried to hold her up at Cork and I don’t think it worked as she sulked. We then worked her on the Vic (Old Vic Gallop) on Friday but she worked as bad so we decided to let her enjoy herself out in front today, and it worked.
“She has a very tender mouth and I told Sam (Coen) to ride her using the neck-strap coming out of the stalls. I wasn’t confident at all after the way she had worked but Damien Moore pushed me to run her. If it was up to me, I wouldn’t have ran, so he made the call.
“Maybe the ease in the ground might have been a big help and we might run her in those listed races, hoping to get blacktype in order to sell her.”
Naas is next
Trainer Denis Hogan and jockey Joey Sheridan combined to win the five-furlong handicap with Sarahmae (13/2), who scored readily by a length and a half from Steel Magnolia.
Hogan later reported: “We thought a bit of her last year and we just kept bringing her back in trip. She didn’t break the bank (€20,000 yearling) and we own half of her with Mike and Tony O’Brien, who are big owners of mine.
“She is entered at Naas on Monday but might need this penalty to get in. She likes an ease in the ground so will run if she gets in.”
Improving
Sapphire Racing’s Combs (11/1) made virtually all to win the Tipperary Town Maiden, for trainer Gordon Elliott and jockey Chris Hayes.
The son of Dark Angel had raced twice as a juvenile and returned to beat Treasure Planet by a length.
Hayes reported: “He is a smashing horse and his two runs last year were good.
“I ride plenty of work for Gordon and worked alongside this horse two weeks ago. He was grand and I think he is an improving horse.
“I got no instructions so bowled along on him. He stays all day and won with a bit up his sleeve as he jinked after the line. He was only doing what he had to do and is a work in progress.”