BANDUA came into the reckoning for the Irish Derby with an authoritative win in last Saturday’s €20,000 Cork Racecourse Rated Race which formed the middle leg of a treble for his trainer Dermot Weld and jockey Declan McDonogh.
The 4/5 favourite, who races under the banner of his Kentucky owners Calumet Farm, had opened his account in style over the same course in April and franked the form with a convincing one and three-quarter length victory over Whirling Dervish.
Weld offered the reminder that his 2016 winner Harzand was also successful over the course en route to Curragh glory and said of Bandua, who delivered his challenge to Whirling Dervish inside the quarter mile pole: “He has the makings of a lovely colt.
“He got there plenty soon enough and I was just worried about the soft to heavy ground with 9st 10lb on his back. He’s a lovely big, laid-back immature horse and, for an American-bred horse with a predominately dirt pedigree, he handles it well.”
The master of Rosewell House added: “He was giving the runner-up 7lb and is just a lovely big improving colt who’s nearly 17hh. He’d love better ground and, if things go right for him, he’ll go for a Stakes race next, maybe the Gallinule and then the Irish Derby - those would be my main thoughts.”
WINNING REAPPEARANCE
Stable-companion Jewel Maker, a Moyglare Stud homebred son of Group 2 winner Sapphire, himself an Invincible Spirit half-brother to Group 1 winner Free Eagle, made a winning reappearance in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, taking command in the final 100 yards of the contest to justify 1/2 favouritism by three-quarters of a length.
“He did what you’d expect him to do,” was the post-race comment from Weld who continued: “He’s a colt who would appreciate nicer ground and he just struggled a bit when Declan let him down. He’s a horse I expect to come on considerably and hopefully get black type with over seven furlongs to a mile.”
Noel Furlong’s Aztec Eagle (7/1) gave Weld his third success of the afternoon with his neck win over the ‘good thing’ Agent Zigzag in the Mallow Maiden. The duo had the race between themselves inside the distance and the trainer indicated that a handicap will be next for the four-year-old.
He said: “It’s been a very pleasing day with three nice winners and a good battling performance by this horse. We gave him a run in a bumper, but he didn’t stay and a mile and two (furlongs) is where he’s at.”
Aidan O’Brien had a hectic schedule at the weekend, but Saxon Warrior wasn’t his only winner as Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor and Sue Magnier’s 14/1 shot Flattering also paid a visit to the winner’s enclosure following her wide-margin success in the Newmarket Fillies Maiden.
The daughter of Galileo had just the one run last term on good to firm, but handled the conditions well here and was pushed out by Michael Hussey from well over a furlong down to win as she pleased by 10 lengths from joint favourite Samasthiti. The other joint favourite, her stable-mate Athena finished eighth.
Flattering holds an Oaks entry, but should be well capable of success at Group 3 level. Her rider observed: “She was green early but, when I asked her to go on and she got going, she kept plugging away. She’ll step up into the next group and see where we go from here.”
IMPRESSIVE
Ballingarry-based Richard O’Brien, a dentist by profession, continues to make a good impression in the training ranks and sent out the well-supported 5/1 chance Bianca Minola to take the Fermoy Handicap by half a length under a tactical ride from Billy Lee. Market leader Song Of The Sky had to settle for third.
Both O’Brien, who was working at his dental practice in Abbeyfeale, and the filly’s English owner Clive Washbourn were absentees. Bianca Minola duly completed a quick double ay Roscommon on Tuesday.
Aspen Belle, a winner over the course last season, made a successful handicap debut for the Pat Martin stable in the Follow Cork Racecourse On Twitter Handicap. Sporting the colours of his father-in-law Tom Brennan, the 5/1 winner hit the front a furlong and a half out and came home well for Leigh Roche to land the spoils by two lengths, with market leader Comhghairdeas back in fourth.
Martin took the day off and left the saddling duties to Barnard Caldwell who commented: “He’s had a busy few weeks and his son Jack brought the horse down with the Mulvaneys who are good neighbours. She’s a good consistent filly who likes that ground and Leigh was happy with her.”
Roche added: “She’s very forward-going. I probably got there a bit sooner than I would have liked but she’s so genuine, she just kept going.”
Curragh handler Johnny Levins sent out his own lightly-weighted Footstepsintime for a surprise 16/1 success in the www.corkracecourse.ie 45-65 Handicap. Ridden by Dublin Leaving Cert student Sean Kirrane, who was clocking up his second winner, the three-year-old held the challenge of Eadbhard by half a length, with the favourite Tuamhain back in sixth place.
Levins remarked: “He’s a lovely horse. I always liked him as a two-year-old, but he was weak and backward and I probably ran him too many times, hence his low rating. He strengthened up over the winter and appreciates the ground and I just thought this race was ideal to start him off.
“He should improve a nice bit from that and I’m looking forward to climbing the ranks with him. He has speed for six furlongs, but I think he’ll stay seven.”
The trainer was full of praise for his 18 year-old pilot who gets the train from Dublin to the Curragh at 6am every morning to ride out for him before travelling back again for his classes. “He’s a nice young lad who puts in the effort and deserves everything he gets. He has a future.”
Johnny Murtagh’s talented apprentice Ross Coakley reached the 75 winner mark when Ecoeye, from the Austin Leahy yard, justified 5/1 favouritism in the Cork Apprentice Handicap by a neck from Alcatraz. The Kilmallock trainer was on duty at the day’s other meeting in Wexford and his daughter Susan said of her mother Ellen’s three-time winner: “He’s been running well all year and deserved it.”
Suspensions
Colin Keane and Gary Halpin both picked up two-day whip bans.
It was also disappointing that Cork only carried the card for Wexford in its racecard, ignoring the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.
ACTING STEWARDS
Ms K. Horgan, R.E. Rohan, P. Barry, C. O’Mahony, L. Walsh.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
MASTERMIND (C. O’Brien): Gave a good account of himself in fourth in the 45-70 handicap on his return to the flat after a spell over hurdles. Should be able to build on this.