CLONMEL THURSDAY
APPRENTICE Ross Coakley gave the Ado McGuinness-trained Face Value an enterprising ride from the front in Thursday’s Quirke UPVC Windows (Clonmel) Tipperary Perpetual Cup to see off all challengers by one and a quarter lengths.
Owned by Sean Gallagher from Duleek, the 10/1 shot was soon well clear of his rivals but the field began to close up approaching the turn-in to the straight.
Coakley, however, knew his mount had a bit more to offer and Face Value dug deep for him in the final 200 yards, just when the favourite Tagliatelle (a first racecourse ride for pony racing champion Jack Kennedy) looked as if he might go by, to repel the danger.
McGuinness related: “He was going home on Monday but I asked Sean to leave him with me and give him another chance because we didn’t make enough use of him in Sligo.
“He only has one gear, flat out and they have to catch him. He’s a tough horse and he’ll probably get a break now and go back to Galway. I’m delighted for Sean who is a good patron of mine.”
Chris Hayes got his name on the scoresheet when recording a convincing three-length success aboard Adrian Keatley’s 7/1 chance Nice Vintage in the Ladies Evening At Clonmel Races May 21st Handicap.
Racing in the colours of the Lillies & Dubs Syndicate, the three-year-old got on top in the last 100 yards to put three lengths between herself and the long-time leader Uno Voce at the line.
Soft ground
The victorious syndicate includes the trainer’s cousin John Fogarty and Keatley commented: “That’s her sort of race - soft ground, that track and that grade and it’s good to get it, especially after Chester yesterday where everything went wrong.
“A few members of the syndicate were involved in Scatty Cat and this filly was a cheap buy at 1,500 quid so it’s good for them to get something out of her. Hopefully there’s another one in her.”
Fresh from his Qipco 1000 Guineas triumph with Legatissimo, trainer David Wachman introduced another potentially useful filly in newcomer Wooden Heart who made the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden her own with a comprehensive three-length win under Wayne Lordan.
Market leader Pianola dropped right out at the quarter mile pole but was reported to be post-race normal when examined at the request of the stewards.
The 100/30 winning daughter of Montjeu is jointly owned by Linda Shanahan and the trainer’s brother-in-law M.V. Magnier. Wachman, who has dominated this race in recent times, reflected: “She’s quite a nice filly and we’ve always liked her. She’s a big filly and can only get better.
“I’d say she didn’t really know what she was doing out there but she’ll learn from it and she’ll step up now and run in those fillies’ races - there are plenty of them.”
Champion jockey Pat Smullen may have been turned over in that race but it didn’t take him too long to find top gear and that resulted in a win for Mooncoin handler Eoin Doyle with Paul Holden’s rather curiously-named Breenainthemycra in the Free Admission For Ladies May 21st Handicap.
Sent off the 7/4 favourite, the four-year-old son of Jeremy scored by three lengths from Rockview Emperor, despite drifting right across to the stands rail inside the final furlong. “He’s improving away the whole time but is still relatively green and wasn’t doing a whole lot in front,” was the trainer’s assessment.
JUMPS WELL
“He was just ‘lairy’ when he got to the front but he’s still a colt and had other things on his mind. I’d say he was just being coltish but he stays well and jumps well - that will be another option for him.”
Ger Lyons and his stable jockey Colin Keane teamed up for success with the easy-to-back 4/1 chance Brown Bee in the West Gate Median Auction Maiden.
The three-year-old led from start to finish in the claret and gold livery of Qatar Racing Limited and had sufficient in reserve to contain the late-finishing effort of Sight Hound, who drifted sharply to his left close home, by a short-head.
The trainer’s brother and assistant Shane reflected: “Job done. She shows plenty at home and has ability and the main thing was to get a bracket for her. She’ll go to the Festival tracks now and take it from there. She has a good pedigree so it would be ideal if she could sneak into a blacktype event and she’ll stay further.”
The well-supported Highly Toxic, from the local Pat Flynn stable, belatedly opened his account in the Fethard Maiden when kept up to his work by Fran Berry to hold off the challenge of Tetraites by one and three-quarters of a length.
Flynn, whose wife Catherine owns the well-bred 1 /2 favourite, has ambitious plans for the latest apple of his eye. The trainer explained: “He grew too big and was weak all last year. Fran said they were going too slow for him but said he’d take a lead and won nicely.
“The Tattersalls Gold Cup will be next. It’s a big step up from here but he’s a very, very nice horse and it’s only now that he’s coming to himself. If he goes well in that we might think about Royal Ascot.”
DOUBLE
Berry doubled up when the Francis Flood-trained 7/2 favourite Balkinstown came good for his Athgarvan owner/breeder Tom McParland in the Main Guard Handicap with a short-head win over Circe’s Island.
The trainer’s son Fran remarked: “He’s a fine old horse from a good old family, going back. We always thought he wanted softer ground but that’s probably nicer than what he ran on in the winter and that probably helped him. He’ll mix it between hurdles and the flat during the summer, depending on what races come up to suit him.”
ACTING STEWARDS
S. McDonogh, P.F. Ronan, J. Kennedy, P.D. Matthews
HORSES TO FOLLOW
HIGHLY TOXIC (Patrick J. Flynn): Obviously better than his form suggests. Having pulled a muscle in his back at Tramore last May he seems to be on the way back and may be able to hold his own in better company when stepped up in class.