NOEL Meade is no stranger to big race success on the flat but the trainer bridged a gap of some 22 years as Elysium became his first pattern race winner on the flat since 1998 with an impressive effort in the Group 3 Weld Park Stakes.
At first glance this Navan maiden winner looked to have plenty on as she stepped up to this class for the first time. However, the 12/1 chance came here off an honourable second when trying to give weight to the subsequent Beresford Stakes third Snapraeterea at Roscommon two months ago and she vindicated Meade’s belief that she could run a big race.
The trainer’s first Group 3 winner since Show Me The Money won the 1998 Cornwallis Stakes and his first on home soil since Street Rebel took the 1992 Greenlands Stakes, this 85-rated daughter of Belardo produced quite an effort under a superb Billy Lee.
The €15,000 yearling was ridden patiently in a race run at a steady pace but when she was switched out from the inner to come with her effort inside the last quarter of a mile the response was impressive. The London Racing Partnership-owned filly readily quickened past most of the field to defeat Aunty Bridy by a length and a half.
“I said to Billy that if she wins it might surprise a lot of people but it won’t surprise me. She’s been working like that all along,” said Meade. “I own her with Phil Munnelly and Pat Sexton and we bought four yearlings with a view to selling them on and that could well happen with this filly. She’s in the final of the Foran Series and that’s where we were thinking of going but I’m not sure now.”
Keane victory
Secret Pulse (4/1) struck for Colin Keane and his father Gerry in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over a mile. This three-year-old daughter of Dragon Pulse, who was just touched off in a similar event at Cork several weeks previously, was going notably well for Keane entering the last couple of furlongs and she took charge for a three and a quarter-length triumph over Salsa.
Tom McCourt equalled his eight winner haul from last season when Lady Savannah (4/1), who has held her form very well since scoring at Leopardstown on the second day after racing resumed, landed the extra.ie Apprentice Handicap over a mile.
The Oliver Curtis-owned and bred mare was ridden by Dylan Browne McMonagle was one and three-quarter lengths too strong for Everyhouronthehour.
A FINE couple of days for Aidan O’Brien and Seamie Heffernan yielded a treble which was completed by Dawn Patrol who looked a Cup horse for 2021 in landing the Group 3 Comer Group International Loughbrown Stakes. The Irish Derby third was turning out relatively quickly following a sixth in the St Leger.
Heffernan enjoyed a dream run on the inner when bringing his mount through from the rear and the 5/2 favourite held every chance with a quarter of a mile to run. When he had to knuckle down, Dawn Patrol did so to beat the emerging force of Barrington Court by three-quarters of a length.
“Aidan said to ride him with plenty of confidence and he got there on the bridle so I waited and he finished out well,” remarked the rider.
A weekend that yielded plenty of cheer on the two-year-old front for O’Brien, also saw the Group 2 and Group 3 runner-up Van Gogh get off the mark in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over seven furlongs.
This talented American Pharoah coltset a brisk tempo under Heffernan and the 4/7 favourite got home by half a length from Colour Sergeant who chased him throughout.
“He’s a big horse but he feels weak so while he has been running well there could be a lot more to come from him,” remarked the rider.
The Irish Derby fourth Order Of Australia made it two wins in as many weeks following a mid-season break as he bagged the Sycamore Lodge Equine Hospital Race over a mile and a half provide the middle leg of O’Brien and Heffernan’s treble. The 6/5 favourite struck for home with over two furlongs to run finished three-quarters of a length ahead of Ebendi.
Another Step forward for the handicap queen
WIN, lose or draw, A Step Too Far (11/2) was already one of the stories of the season heading into the Heffernan Tyres Joe McGrath Handicap and Kieran Cotter’s charge continued her amazing progress with this premier handicap triumph which saw her complete the near unprecedented feat of six handicap wins in a row.
Off a mark that was some 35lb higher than the one she first won off at Naas in July, this four-year-old prevailed in trademark style as she blazed a trail against the stands’ side rail for Adam Farragher. Her various opponents had every chance to find a way past but an unyielding A Step Too Far, who is owned by Sinead Dunne, was just too strong and she carried the day by half a length from Beckwith Place.
“We targeted this race about six weeks ago. We felt it was realistic and she’s answered every call,” exclaimed a thrilled Cotter. “We do nothing with her at home, she keeps herself fit and I’m speechless really. We might now look at the Group 3 Mercury Stakes over five furlongs at Dundalk in a few weeks.”
Apprentice Luke McAteer maintained his stunning run of form aboard Dearg Jazz (14/1) in the Mongey Communications Nursery Handicap over a mile.
In the immediate aftermath thoughts were with Rory Cleary who took a heavy fall at around halfway on a stablemate of the winner but happily he emerged unscathed.
For her part the James Barrett-trained winner produced a fine effort from the front. She raced into a good lead over the field at one point and just when it looked as though she would be swallowed up she found more to defy the top-weight Zozimus.
Both the winner and the second drifted markedly left in the closing stages but a stewards’ enquiry left the placings unchanged. The victorious Mary O’Leary-owned filly was making her handicap debut.
“Thankfully Rory is okay although we lost the filly (No Nay Forever),” reflected Barrett.
“We will probably look at another nursery for the winner as she will handle an ease in the ground and next year we could have a lot of fun with her over a mile and a quarter or further.
“Luke has been a great addition to us this year.”