REST OF THE CARD

SHE may have started the season rated a mere 72 but David Wachman’s Curvy has progressed at a rate of knots over the last six weeks and she took the switch from handicaps in her stride to claim the Group 3 Airlie Stud Gallinule Stakes.

Only a week previously, the daughter of Galileo won a fillies’ handicap at Navan off a mark of 84 but this defeat of some capable colts indicated that she is quite at home at this level.

In a race that featured Epsom Derby hopeful Giovanni Canaletto, Curvy (15/2) tracked the pace setting Prince Gagarin from an early stage. It took Curvy a while to master the leader but she answered Wayne Lordan’s every call to lead inside the distance and she gamely repelled Giovanni Canaletto by a neck.

The latter quickened up smartly to hold every chance 150 yards from but he had no more to give when it mattered most and he now looks to skip Epsom.

“She’s a nice filly who has come into her own this year. Last year she was weak but did run quite a nice behind Pleascach on her debut,” said Wachman. “She’s improving away and there lots of nice fillies race for her through the season and maybe she could head for the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot.”

A cracking finish to the €50,000 N. Conlon & Sons BMW Handicap went the way of Majenta (14/1) who rediscovered her best form to win for the first time in almost two years.

After a fruitless four-race campaign last year, the Kevin Prendergast-trained filly had dropped from a career high mark of 98 to 84 and she made that count under Chris Hayes.

A mere 100 yards from home in this mile and a half contest victory could have gone half a dozen ways but Majenta burst through to take charge and defeat the unlucky Golden Spear by a length. The latter didn’t enjoy any luck in running on the inner but finished out his race when getting into the clear.

“She would have been unlucky to be beaten. There was plenty of hassle in the straight but she got the run. She’s had problems but she’s over them,” declared Prendergast.

Although they were out of luck with Golden Spear, Tony Martin and owners Newtown Anner Stud did strike with Pyromaniac (13/2) in the Irish Tatler Celebrating 125 Years Handicap.

The very capable dual-purpose runner was produced by Fran Berry to lead heading into the last furlong and he fended off Awesome Star by a head.

“He’s very versatile and he’ll tip away under both codes for the summer,” commented Martin. “He got the two miles well there so we might be able to move him up in trip over hurdles and hopefully there’s a bit more to come from him.”

For the fourth time in five years Aidan O’Brien saddled the winner of the Big Bad Bob EBF (C&G) Maiden where Air Force Blue (4/1) made a bright start to his career.

This traditionally informative six-furlong juvenile event attracted some intriguing types and Air Force Blue produced a most professional display under Ryan Moore.

He broke alertly from a good draw to help force the pace from the outset and he had his rivals hard at work when he asserted with over a furlong to run. The War Front colt did tire somewhat late on as Rockaway Valley closed in but he held on by a neck.

“We thought that he might be green like the fillies we ran yesterday but Ryan said that he winged the gates and he found himself there and he just got a little tired late on,” reported O’Brien. “The Coventry is there and he could be one for that but we’ll see how he is and I’m not sure how much he learnt there.”

Moore than followed up on Master Speaker who gave trainer Martin Hassett a victory to savour in the K Club Hotel, Spa & Ryder Cup Venue Handicap.

The 11/2 chance hadn’t won since picking up a maiden on his second start in 2013 but he had run a host of good races in defeat since then. Indeed he had filled the runner-up spot on his first three starts this term before disappointing somewhat at Navan last week.

Master Speaker was restored to his best on this occasion though and, after striking the front a furlong from home, he finished half a length ahead of In Salutem.

“Sean Corby has been riding him all along and has done a fantastic job on him but we said we’d try something different today,” exclaimed a delighted Hassett, whose niece Kate owns the five-year-old. “Maybe he just didn’t come down the hill at Navan last week but he had been running very well. We had been thinking of the Rockingham here on Derby weekend but we’ll just see what the handicapper does.”

Ryan Moore then brought up a treble as he teamed up with O’Brien’s Bantry Bay (4/5) in the Dublin Coach To The Curragh Races EBF Maiden.

The Galileo colt was just touched off on his debut at Leopardstown but enjoyed a clear-cut success here. He mastered Aared well over a furlong from home and went to the line strongly to defeat Ashoka by three and a quarter lengths.

“He was very green the first day and he’s still a bit green. He’ll stay further and should improve plenty and he could be that will make a very nice four-year-old,” reported O’Brien.

ACTING STEWARDS

F. Clarke, T.L. Crawford, C. O’Mahony, S. Mconogh, P.D. Matthews

HORSE TO FOLLOW

GOLDEN SPEAR (A.J. Martin): With better luck in running he could well have won the mile and a half handicap but he did show that there will be a nice prize within his reach at some stage and he will be worth following in similar events.