REST OF THE CARD
AS expected the Invincible Spirit Sapphire Stakes went for export but it was the Willie Muir-trained and Pat Smullen-ridden Stepper Point and not the odds-on Mecca’s Angel who claimed this five furlongs Group 2.
Back over the course and distance that provided him with his last win in September, Stepper Point (6/1) hadn’t been at his best so far this year but another visit to the Curragh brought out the best in the classy gelding.
Smullen made the most of his rail draw by sending his mount straight to the front. The pair were tracked throughout by Mecca’s Angel who launched a determined bid to get to the front from over a furlong out.
Hard as she tried though the favourite could not assert and went down by a neck with Moviesta a further three quarters of a length. The Nunthorpe Stakes will be next for the winner according to Muir.
“All he had to do was come back to last year’s form and he was going to be very competitive and Willie (Muir) was hopeful of a very good run when I spoke to him this morning,” commented Smullen. “It was straight forward. I had the rail and used to my advantage.”
Final Frontier followed his impressive debut success here last month by justifying odds on favouritism in the Jebel Ali Racecourse & Stables Anglesey Stakes.
However, the 5/6 chance was given quite a scare by Miss Katie Mae and he did have to survive a stewards enquiry before his neck success was confirmed.
Final Frontier was content to look on from the rear of the field through the early stages before he then started to get into contention on the outer. The Dream Ahead colt picked up to good effect to lead at the furlong pole and he had the race under control at this point.
To her credit Miss Katie Mae, who had struggled to get a clear run when trying to deliver her challenge, came with a sustained late bid and she was only just denied. The winner did come in on top of the runner-up as the line loomed but the enquiry left the placings unchanged.
“He needs to step up to seven furlongs,” reflected Jessica Harrington who trains the winner for Juliette Cooper and Vimal Khosla. “Shane said he was asleep for the first half of the race and then the horse quickened up very well and he found himself in front too soon. We’ll give him some time and he may now go for the National Stakes next.”
Earlier Stroll Patrol rediscovered her best form to claim the valuable evoke.ie Scurry Sprint Handicap for Johnny Murtagh and Andrea Atzeni.
A decent 102-rated juvenile in Britain last season, the Qatar Racing-owned daughter of Mount Nelson had struggled on her first two starts in Ireland and was allowed to go off at 20/1 but she made a resounding return to form.
Stroll Patrol had plenty to do heading into the last quarter of a mile but she soon started to make good progress under the stands’ side rail and the gaps came at the right time for her.
In the last furlong her sustained bid carried her past the dueling pair of In Salutem and Your Pal Tal. She carried the day by half a length to become the first three-year-old to win this since 2008.
“She came to us with a big reputation but it just didn’t happen for her on her first two starts,” commented Murtagh. “Colin Keane rode her the last day though and said to drop her back to six furlongs. She’s just coming to herself and liked the ground and I’d hope to get blacktype with her now.”
Stroll Patrol was turned out again for a listed race at Naas on Wednesday but, sent off favourite, could only manage fourth place.
Shogun (6/4) left the form of his debut run a long way behind as he cruised to a smooth success in the Darley EBF Maiden over seven furlongs which had Aidan O’Brien contemplating races like the Futurity Stakes for his charge.
Shogun was favourite for a maiden won by Sanus Per Aquam three weeks previously but he made no impression in seventh. For his second start Qualify’s brother was fitted with blinkers and he was an entirely different proposition.
After travelling powerfully through the race he eased to the front for Joseph O’Brien early in the last furlong for an assured two and a quarter lengths triumph.
“He didn’t know what he was doing the first day but he was going like a nice horse at home, that can happen sometimes with two-year-olds,” declared the Ballydoyle trainer. “He travelled and he quickened today and he’s a big, powerful horse that could step up quickly into something like the Futurity.”
A truly memorable day for Pat Smullen began when the tremendously consistent Have A Nice Day (6/1) defied a career high rating of 85 to follow up his Derby weekend triumph in the Kilsaran International Handicap.
The Sabrina Harty-trained five-year-old brushed aside stablemate Breathe Easy heading into the last furlong for a length success over Captain Cullen. Have A Nice Day, who carries the colours of Laurence Dempsey, has only finished out of the placings four times in his last 21 starts.
“I thought Breathe Easy might turn it around with him today but this horse is a seven furlongs specialist and he’s just improving all the time,” reflected the trainer. “The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Ahonoora Handicap on the Sunday of Galway, in which he was fourth last year, will be his next race.”
Tommy Stack’s Tooreen Legend gained compensation for his last gasp defeat in the 2014 running of the race as he landed the Boodles Ladies Derby.
Nina Carberry, who was on board last year, once again took the mount on the James and Breda O’Brien-owned gelding who was lumbered with top-weight.
The 10/1 chance struck for home with well over a furlong to run and kept on doggedly to contain various challengers over the course of the last furlong. At the line Tooreen Legend had a length and a quarter to spare over Majenta with Paddy The Celeb third.
“He’s a solid horse who keeps finding and Nina gave him a great ride,” commented the trainer’s son, Fozzy. “He was carrying 12st 1lb when he was second in this last year but they changed the conditions slightly this year. He does appreciate fast ground.”
David Wachman’s Torcedor, whose three runs to date earned him a rating of 84, took advantage of a good opportunity in the Killashee Maiden over a mile and half.
The Wayne Lordan-ridden 9/4 chance travelled sweetly throughout and looked a likely winners from the turn in. Over the course of the last furlong and a half he saw off Gelenschik by two and a half lengths in the Te Akau Torcedor colours.
“He’s been threatening to win one and did it well today. He’s a nice type who stays well and is getting stronger all the time so hopefully there’s more to come,” stated Wachman.
Riding bans
Nina Carberry picked up a four-day whip ban after her win in the Ladies Derby while Colm O’Donoghue was given a two-day careless riding suspension after the stewards looked into an incident in the Scurry Handicap.
ACTING STEWARDS
T. Hunt, M.J. Doyle, S. Barry, P.N. Reynolds, P.D. Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW
RECKLESS GOLD (J.R. Barry): This Pivotal colt made a pleasing start to his career when beaten just over two lengths into third in the maiden won by Shogun. He kept on nicely over the course of the last furlong and looks well up to making his mark in a maiden.