AFTER Colin Keane held sway with a treble on the opening day of the June Bank Holiday fixture at Listowel Wayne Lordan followed suit with a hat-trick of his own which took in two winners for Aidan O’Brien.
Appropriately, O’Brien was responsible for the first Irish winner for his dual Guineas hero Churchill as The Acropolis won the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden in the style of a smart colt.
Wayne Lordan’s mount was a beaten favourite on his debut on Irish Guineas weekend but showed he had stepped forward considerably from that run as he comprehensively reversed form with Thunder Eclipse from their initial meeting.
The 5/4 favourite appeared to have everything covered when he moved to the front with over a furlong to run and went on to defeat Thunder Eclipse by three and a half lengths.
“He stepped forward plenty from his first run when the ground was bad and the first two that day did have the benefit of a run.
“He travelled well and quickened up well today and I really liked the way he stretched out in the last furlong,” reported Lordan.
Lordan and O’Brien also struck with Metaphorical (3/1) who turned over the odds-on Emporio in the mile-maiden.
The latter was taking a marked drop in class following his excellent fifth in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and he attempted to make all but over the last furlong he couldn’t quite contain the renewed effort of Metaphorical who got up on the line to score by a head.
“I fancied him a bit the last day at Gowran but it just didn’t happen for him from an inside draw. I was drawn wide today but got into a nice position and he battled hard for me,” commented Lordan.
Talented hurdler
The middle leg of the treble came courtesy of the Willie Mullins-trained My Sister Sarah as the talented hurdler opened her account on the level in the two-mile handicap.
On her first flat outing since finishing third in a maiden here at the Harvest Festival, the Barnane Stud-owned seven-year-old was sent off the 6/5 favourite, but she made her supporters sweat.
Coventry looked as if he had done enough when poaching a decent lead inside the last quarter of a mile but a determined My Sister Sarah closed in and her last furlong charge saw her force a bobbing finish which went her way by a nose. There was a sting in the tail for the winning jockey as he picked up a six-day whip suspension.
“She’s a lovely, big filly and a great mover and the track might just have been a little on the tight side for her but she put her head down and fought hard for me when I needed her,” remarked Lordan.
The card also yielded a double for Willie Mullins as Saldier (evens) won his first race since the 2019 Morgiana Hurdle but landing the amateur riders’ conditions race over an extended mile and a half.
This seven-year-old, whose French flat form saw him line up with a rating of 99, put his rivals to the sword in style. Jody Townend allowed him to ease to the front over two furlongs out and the Susannah Ricci-owned gelding showed his class in sauntering to a seven-length triumph. He remains a horse of considerable interest, whatever direction he takes this summer.
OISIN Orr enjoyed a productive afternoon with a double which he completed on Jack Davison’s Cisco Disco (5/1) in the 50-85 rated three-year-old handicap over an extended six furlongs.
The Sunday Racing Club and Grey Lady Racing Syndicate-owned gelding turned out fresh and well following his victory at Roscommon six days previously and he readily defied an 8lb hike in the weights. He saw off Tall Story by a length and a half after taking charge a furlong out.
“He’s been a right little horse for the two syndicates that own him and he’s an ideal fun horse for them,” remarked the trainer. “He’s a very relaxed, idle horse and it’s only now that he’s got it together but hopefully he’s on the up.”
It was an industrious couple of days in Kerry for the Dermot Weld team and the trainer followed up a double on Saturday with another winner here as the Orr-ridden Young Angel (15/2) mugged Even Flow in the final yards of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden. Even Flow looked to have done enough from the front as she entered the closing stages of this extended six-furlong contest but Oisin Orr and Young Angel stole through on her inner to land in front on the line.
This Ballylinch Stud-owned winner, who is a daughter of Dark Angel and the Prix de l’Abbaye heroine Wizz Kid, disappointed at Sligo last time, but her previous debut third in a Navan maiden entitled her to win a race of this nature.
ANDREW Kinirons enjoyed a memorable trip to Listowel by securing the first double of his training career in the two divisions of the 45-65 rated mile handicap.
Luke McAteer’s decision to go for a daring run up the inner on Mary Salome – runner-up at the Curragh four days previously – paid off as the 2/1 favourite got a clear run to take control inside the last furlong and beat Fugacious. It was then the turn of Praying Mantis (9/2) who added to the victory she recorded at Gowran last month. The Ray McSharry-owned four-year-old was always nicely positioned for Mikey Sheehy before defeating Crystal Pool by two and a quarter lengths. “They were my first runners here and we fancied both of them. Both fillies are staring to thrive,” said the trainer.