AFTER a rare below-par run in last month’s Greenlands Stakes, the Denis Hogan stalwart Make A Challenge set the record straight with a hard-fought victory in the Listed Sky Bet Midsummer Sprint Stakes, setting him up for a return to the big time.
The five-year-old was a disappointing favourite in the Greenlands but Joe Doyle rode an entirely different race on him in this five-and-a-half-furlong race where he was helping to force the pace from the outset.
Ominous
It was all looking ominous for Make A Challenge (5/2) when he was pressed and headed by Urban Beat but he rallied gamely to regain the lead late on.
“He just got disappointed in the Greenlands where we dropped him in and he was left with too much to do,” reflected Hogan whose charge carries the colours of his father Martin. “Joe (Doyle) got things spot on today and he was adamant this was how he was going to ride this horse.
This horse has a lot of options and the Prix de l’Abbaye is the long-term aim, but he could be back here at the weekend for the Sapphire Stakes.”
There was also a decent sprinter on show in the six-furlong Sporting Life Fast Results Handicap where the Hugh Ward-owned Nordic Passage made it two wins from three starts this season, again looking like a premier handicap winner in waiting.
The strong-travelling 10/1 chance was ridden prominently by Donagh O’Connor and picked up well to lead inside the last furlong for a half-length triumph over Sendmylovetoyou.
Revelation
He possibly had more to spare than the winning margin would suggest.
“He’s been a revelation since coming back in trip. “Next year might be more his year for those top handicaps as he might be more of a man of a horse but we’ll see,” remarked Levins.
Mendoza impresses as she bolts up
KEN Condon has quietly been making a mark with his two-year-olds so far this season and he unleashed a smart one in Terersa Mendoza who bolted up on her debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over six furlongs.
The Colin McNally-owned daughter of first-crop sire Territories picked up well for Shane Foley to finish one and three-quarter lengths clear of Monaasib.
“From what she’s done at home we thought that she was stakes class, and after that she warrants going in that direction. Shane is riding enough nice ones at moment and he was quite taken with her,” declared Condon.
High-class
There was another good maiden on show in the following race where Etneya (16/5), a three-year-old daughter of Siyouni, made a winning start to her career in the Irish EBF-sponsored fillies’ maiden over a mile.
The Aga Khan-owned half-sister to Eziyra travelled nicely for Oisin Orr before seizing control of the race a quarter of a mile from home before a three-and-a-quarter-length triumph over Never Forgotten. A step-up to stakes company will be next for the winner.
The unplaced favourite, Feminism, was found to be clinically abnormal post-race.
Jockey Shane Kelly has been enjoying a productive campaign with Johnny Murtagh and he moved on to his best seasonal tally for seven years courtesy of the Murtagh-trained Carrytheone (5/2) in the Irish EBF-sponsored colts-and-geldings’ maiden over a mile.
This Lope De Vega colt was only just touched off by the smart Delphi over this course and distance on Irish Derby weekend and he went one place better with quite a taking effort. He looks a three-year-old of potential for his Australian owners, the Any Excuse For A Holiday Syndicate.
IT didn’t attract a particularly large field but the Sky Bet Ebor Trial Handicap over one and three-quarter miles brought together a very interesting 10-runner field.
Jessica Harrington’s Lynwood Gold produced a fine effort to record his first victory on the level since coming to Ireland.
In a steadily run affair, the 13/2 shot was well placed to strike when he moved to the head of the field a quarter of a mile out and he then withstood the effort of the progressive Mirann by a length.
The Carmel Acheson-owned winner could now head to Galway with the Irish Cesarewitch is his long-term aim.
The first division of the SkyBet-sponsored 45-65 rated mile-and-a-half handicap served up a tremendous finale in which Allora Yeats somehow edged out fellow 9/2 joint-favourite Swelltime.
This mare got up in the final yards of a Bellewstown handicap the previous week but left it even later here. Mark Gallagher had the entire field to pass turning for home on the Katy Brown-owned and -trained six-year-old and this improving mare picked up in tremendous fashion to land in front on the line.
In the other division of the 45-65 rated mile-and-a-half handicap, apprentice Gavin Ryan maintained his impressive run of form as the Mark Fahey-trained Place Des Vosges (3/1) confirmed the promise of her first two runs in Ireland to record the first success of her career.
The North County Syndicate-owned five-year-old was produced with a steady effort in the straight and finished strongly to defeat Leahman by two and three quarter lengths. She looks like she could win another staying handicap this season.
IN the handicap won by Place Des Vosges, the unplaced A Few Bob Short was withdrawn before then being reinstated. A Few Bob Short was initially withdrawn after the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board’s chief veterinary officer Lynn Hillyer stated that the horse had not been presented for identification in accordance with Rule 90.
However, it transpired that this arose as a result of a systems failure on the part of the IHRB. The horse’s trainer Shane Ryder was exonerated of all blame. The stewards found that A Few Bob Short had been withdrawn because there was a systems breakdown on the part of IHRB Security, as acknowledged by senior security officer Chris Gordon, together with the failure on the part of the IHRB veterinary team. A Few Bob Short was allowed to take his chance.
The IHRB has since stated that it is to review raceday stablings at the Curragh after this systems breakdown.