THE classy Tarnawa produced perhaps her best effort yet on her first run since October 2019 as she made it back-to-back wins in the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Give Thanks Stakes to set up an exciting autumn campaign.
A triple pattern race winner last season when her efforts were headed by a Group 2 Blandford Stakes triumph, Tarnawa faced a stiff test in this mile and a half contest as she had to give 10lb to the Irish Oaks second and third.
That pair – Cayenne Pepper and Passion – set a fair standard but in a race where there were no hiding places Tarnawa (8/1) impressed.
The daughter of Shamardal cruised into contention for Oisin Orr early in the straight and with well over a furlong to run she had the measure of Cayenne Pepper who went down by one and three-quarter lengths. Passion was a further three and three-quarter lengths back in third.
“That very pleasing. We were hopeful coming here and it was always the plan to start her back today,” reported the trainer’s son Kris Weld. “The Blandford is a possibility again but she has got plenty of entries so we’ll see.
“Maybe she could go back for the fillies’ race at Ascot in October.”
Weld and Orr also struck with a nice two-year-old in Emaniya (11/2) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over a mile to build on a taking debut effort behind Snowfall at the Curragh.
The Aga Khan-owned daughter of Sea The Stars appeared to do everything at her leisure and, after leading over a furlong from home, Emaniya was a cosy length and a half winner over April Showers. She is likely to step up to listed level later in the season.
IT was a day that apprentice Sam Ewing will cherish for the rest of his career as the 16-year-old rode his first winner aboard the Ger Lyons-trained Ardhoomey (12/1) in the €40,000 five-furlong handicap.
A decorated graduate of the pony racing circuit where he rode in excess of 100 winners which included a Dingle Derby triumph, the winning rider is a son of the leading Northern Ireland-based point-to-point handler Warren Ewing and he looked both polished and poised here.
He produced the former Group 2 winner to head his stablemate My Laureate and carry the day by three-quarters of a length. The Moyville Racing Syndicate-owned eight-year-old was winning for the first time since May 2018 and was taking advantage of a career low mark of 91. This was just Ewing’s 10th ride on the track.
The disappointing favourite Strong Johnson was reported to have made an abnormal respiratory noise post-race and Shane Foley reported that he never travelled.
Another apprentice to record the first success of their career was Jessica Maye (21) who struck aboard Lady Boomerang, owned by her mother Sandra, in the second division of the 45-65 rated seven-furlong handicap.
On just her third ride of the season, Jessica Maye got a great tune out of John Geoghegan’s charge who battled well to see off the strong-travelling Ramiro by half a length. The winning jockey is a year older than her sister Vanessa, who struck up such a great partnership with Geological last winter.
McGuinness breaks new ground
AFTER all his many premier handicap triumphs, Adrian McGuinness came into this meeting looking for the first stakes race success of his career. That wait came to an end as the Galway premier handicap scorer Current Option made a seamless transition to listed level in the Platinum Stakes.
The brilliant Gavin Ryan rode a patient race over the course of this seven-furlongs and then produced this Dooley Thoroughbreds, Bart O’Sullivan and Shamrock Thoroughbreds-owned four-year-old to lead with over a furlong to run. Current Option kept on bravely to hold off Soul Search by half a length.
“I always thought he could be a stakes horse,” remarked a delighted McGuinness. “I think when he settles a mile will be no problem and we’ll look at a listed race at Leopardstown in a few weeks and then there is Irish Champions Weekend.”
Impressive
Another horse with live pretensions to winning a stakes race before the end of the season is Pearls Galore who was most impressive in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap over seven furlongs.
A Limerick maiden winner on her Irish debut, she was sent off the 100/30 favourite and won with the utmost ease under Billy Lee. She travelled supremely well in the lead and asserted in great style over the last furlong to score by four and a half lengths.
“I think it’s hard to go straight from a maiden into a stakes race so this looked the right race for her. The aim is to win a stakes race and I would imagine she will step up to that level now,” reported Paddy Twomey who trains the winner for Scea Haras De Saint Pair.
Lee double
Billy Lee promptly brought up a double on Youceeyouceecee (17/2), trained by his sister Susan Finn, who came from out of the clouds in the first division of the 45-65 rated seven furlongs handicap.
The Mairead O’Carroll-owned eight-year-old was without a win in two years and was looking on from last at halfway but finished with a tremendous surge against the stand’s side rail to lead in the last few strides.
A tilt at the most valuable two-year-old race in Ireland this year is up next for Fozzy Stack’s Sloane Peterson (3/1) who will tackle the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes at Naas next Sunday after getting off the mark in the five furlongs Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
As she looked to build on a pleasing debut fourth to Thunder Beauty at the Curragh last month, this Chris Hayes-ridden daughter of Kodiac produced a nice display despite finding herself all alone on the stands’ side over the last furlong and a half. The Craig Bernick-owned 3/1 favourite finished with a neck to spare over Mooneista.
“The plan is to get blacktype and for her to join Craig’s broodmare band but I’d say we will have a shot at the money first and go to Naas,” remarked Stack.