THE Tote Tramore Derby took centre stage at the Waterford venue on Tuesday, with the ‘classic’ producing a 10-length winner as Churchwarden (100/30) routed his rivals to score for trainer Henry de Bromhead and jockey Gary Carroll.

The six-year-old had previously scored once over hurdles and, on his 11th flat start, raced prominently throughout and scored easily from Highway Sixty One.

Delighted de Bromhead said: “It is a real local winner and it’s great to see Robert Dooly leading him in. There are people involved from all over the country in Pimlico Racing, but plenty from Waterford and Tramore and this horse was bought specifically to win this race.

“After his previous run in Clonmel, I thought we would struggle, so I am delighted for everyone and Gary gave him a super spin. The (first-time) blinkers had the desired effect and he is a lovely horse, who also jumps well.”

Valuable success

Six-time champion jockey Colin Keane was seen to good effect when completing a double, beginning with landing the day’s most valuable race, the €16,500 Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Fillies) Handicap on trainer Dick Donohoe’s Daboya (6/4 joint-favourite).

Racing with the pace, Daboya led over a furlong out and scored by two and three-quarter lengths from Marmeladova.

Donohoe reported: “She is a great fun mare, who brings her owners to all these places and is dual-purpose, so she can go back over hurdles as well. I’d imagine Galway will be next for another flat race, as she hasn’t enough experience for a handicap hurdle yet.

“Colin is class, and knows what he is doing all the time. The (Goatsbridge) syndicate are all from nearby in Thomastown, so they’re out in force.”

Double down

Keane also collected in the Tramoreraces.ie Handicap, as he again teamed up with the Paul Flynn-trained, Bhoys On Tour Syndicate-owned Forlio (5/1), for a third career win.

Forlio was a somewhat rare course flat winner to arrive from off the pace and score, having been patiently ridden to notch a four-and-three-quarter-length win over A Pretty Penny.

Keane commented: “Forlio has been lucky for me and had a nice run in Naas the last day, when he was a little bit unlucky and unfortunately got stopped a few times.

“Going up in trip suited him and they went along, although the ground is plenty ‘tight’ for him. To be fair, when he got into his head that he was enjoying it, he kept coming.”

ROBBIE Colgan was another jockey to complete a double, and began by steering El Galvino (20/1) to win the Waterford Castle And Resort Style Maiden to the relief of successful trainer Andrew Lee.

The winner made all and held on well to beat Kimy by a half length, and Lee later quipped: “The owners (Back On Track Syndicate) are great and had a winner with me here when I last had a winner, which must have been 40 years ago!

“Robbie gave him one of those old, canny rides. Now that he has won, we’ll stay on the flat, but he has schooled over hurdles and was bought to do both jobs.”

Colgan completed his double when again making all the running in the August Festival Early Bird Packages Handicap, scoring on 40/1 outsider Voice Of Reason, for the Delahunty family from Kilkenny.

Having beaten Nelson Muntz by a length and a half, winning trainer William Delahunty reported: “Myself and my son Michael saw him run in a claiming race here (in April 2025), but left him alone, although came back for him the following month and bought him for €4,000.

“He needs that two-mile distance and Robbie said he could have gone around again today. He is a very genuine horse.”

THE winning 20-member BTF Racing Club had valid excuses for missing the success of their admirable mare Bynx (9/1) in the concluding August Festival August 13th - 16th Handicap, as she completed a ‘triple crown’ for trainer Martin Hassett.

A 22-race maiden on the flat prior to the race, Bynx got her breakthrough success under Paddy Harnett, who produced her to lead close home, for a length and a quarter win over Lariat.

Hassett explained: “When I sold her to the boys, I said we’d win a flat race and a hurdle race, but we also managed a chase in the middle, so now I have the triple crown! She loves it down here and both Paddy and I needed that winner.

“Fair play to Jamie Bergin, who heads the syndicate, as keeping 20 lads happy is never easy and he had been getting stick for her not winning on the flat. The lads are all training for Drom and Inch (Tipperary) tonight and there’s a match Friday night, so I said ‘the hurling comes first’.”

The opening Follow Tote On X Claiming Race was won by maiden Timandi (5/2), for trainer James Barrett, jockey Luke McAteer and owners Mrs N K Griffin and T Brosnan. The Camacho filly was slowly away in the six-runner race, but finished well to beat Plontier by four and three-quarter lengths.

McAteer reported: “It rode a moderate enough race and our plan was to make the running, but she didn’t jump. I went to Plan B, but I was actually very confident after I missed the break as, watching them going down the hill first time around, the others looked big horses and awkward. I had to ride a waiting race, but my filly’s size helped me more than the others.” There were no claims made for any of the runners.