ADO McGuinness has trained more winners at Dundalk than any other racecourse in the country and he took centre stage on Friday’s summer all-weather card with a double - headlined by Tribal Star’s feature-race success in the €50,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Red God Handicap.
The ex-Godolphin four-year-old was well bought at 42,000gns from last year’s Tattersalls July Sale by Durcan Bloodstock and he clearly loves an artificial surface, with his only other win coming at Dundalk and one of his best efforts arriving at Newcastle to finish fourth in this year’s Northumberland Plate.
Racing for Dooley Thoroughbreds, Jimmy Fairhurst, the Kabin Racing Syndicate and Nigel O’Hare, the 15/2 shot was well delivered by Adam Caffrey from off what looked a decent pace and the pair did enough to hold Final Voyage by half a length. The winner’s stablemate, Star Harbour, finished a fine third, having been second in the race last year too. This was also a landmark 100th winner for Caffrey.
McGuinness said: “Adam gave the horse a smashing ride and I’m delighted for the lads. He is a good horse and he ran some cracking races in England. We were very disappointed at Killarney the last day [when beating one home], I just couldn’t put my finger on it. Maybe I brought him back too quickly after the Northumberland Plate. I’d love to jump him over a hurdle at some stage and he could go to the Racing League at Southwell.”
Ace Army
Only 30 minutes earlier, the Co Dublin-based handler managed to squeeze a first Irish win out of Obama Army (4/1) in the Bar One Racing Handicap over a mile for owner Breen White.
One of two winners on the card for Shane Foley, he wasn’t winning out of turn after a solid second at Gowran on his previous outing and had Akashaa’s measure by half a length.
McGuinness said: “We’ve tried him over all sorts of trips and he’s the type of horse to keep trying different things with. Thankfully it worked today. Fair play to Breen, he’s a good supporter of mine. This horse will probably get a stint up here in the winter series.”
Mighty Mountain
By far the easiest winner on the card was saved for the concluding handicap over an extended 10 furlongs when Church Mountain breezed down the outer in splendid isolation to score for Joey Sheridan and Denis Hogan.
Joseph Kelly’s seven-year-old has been a terrific servant and this was the eighth win of his career, while also enhancing his Dundalk record to three wins from nine appearances. Being able to drop to 0-60 company for the first time in his career was clearly a benefit and he pulled three and three quarters of a length clear of a running-around Porsche Lad, who was later demoted to third after interference.
SHANE Foley is regarded as one of the best judges in the business, and his prediction to trainer Danny Murphy ahead of Bear On The Run’s appearance in the six-furlong Irish EBF Auction Series Fillies Maiden proved totally accurate.
The Kildare Racing Syndicate and Kilmichael Racing Syndicate’s Kodi Bear filly had run a race of some promise on debut when fifth at the Curragh in May and an absence of 102 days wasn’t enough to stop her here.
The 10/11 favourite broke smartly, made all and beat recent Galway maiden runner-up Lucia Molly by a comfortable three and a quarter lengths.
“Shane rode her work for me last Saturday morning and he got down and said ‘this will win,’” said Murphy.
“She’s a nice filly. I’d imagine it’ll be the Legacy Stakes back here or the Ingabelle Stakes [at the Irish Champions Festival]. Her sister was Dun Na Sead and they’re both quick out of the gate.”
Bright Bonnard
There was strong market support for the Aidan O’Brien-trained Pierre Bonnard (6/5 favourite from a morning price of 5/2) in the other two-year-old event, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over a mile, and the smart colt made no mistake on his second start.
A son of Camelot and 2014 Nassau Stakes winner Sultanina, he wasn’t perturbed by Prospect Thunder blazing a trail in front and was always doing enough in the closing stages to hold main market rival Shaihaan by two and a quarter lengths. Wayne Lordan did the steering for the Magnier-Tabor-Smith-Westerberg partnership.
Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “Wayne absolutely loved him when he was fourth in the maiden at Leopardstown and the form has worked out well [with third-placed stablemate Montreal winning well since]. He’s got a host of options this year and is one to really look forward to next year. Wayne felt he could drop back to seven furlongs for the Goffs Million.”
WITH 78 days to go in the campaign, Cleary matched his total of winners for the entirety of last season when making virtually all on Genesis in the €22,000 Bar One Racing Mourne Handicap.
Despite major market weakness (SP 12/1 from a morning price of 4/1), Michael Foley’s homebred was right back to his best and followed up at the scene of his only previous win by beating 5/4 favourite Valiant Force by a length and a quarter.
This was just his second start since joining Mick Mulvany, who said: “I only have him six or seven weeks and I think he is definitely a sprinter. I’m still learning a bit about him. That six furlongs is his ideal trip, I’d say, and he likes the fast surface.”
Adrian Murray had to settle for second in the Mourne Handicap but went one better 35 minutes later when a return to the all-weather worked the oracle for Ze Do Asfalto (9/1) in the Bar One Racing Optional Claiming Race.
Given a clever ride from the front by Wayne Lordan to make all, Giselle De Aguiar’s three-year-old boxed on gamely to beat Never Shout Never by three quarters of a length. He was snapped up for €10,000 by James McAuley for trainer Denis Hogan - as was the third, Dontspoilasale (€15,000). Andrew McNamara claimed Never Shout Never for €8,000.
“I wouldn’t think of it as a surprise,” said Murray. “He had a nice run before here in a maiden. Wayne let him run a similar race in that he bowled along in front.”
Bishopton (9/2) was another to benefit from front-running tactics on the day, staying on strongly under a positive Paddy Harnett ride to open his account at the 12th attempt in the seven-furlong Bar One Racing Apprentice Maiden.
The Natalia Lupini-trained three-year-old relished getting back to the all-weather, where rated 5lb higher than on turf, to post a three-and-a-quarter-length victory over 9/4 favourite Beijhino.
The winner is owned by a partnership of Nigel O’Hare, Dougie Sloan, Milena Mocchetti and the Kabin Racing Syndicate.