KEVIN Prendergast bridged a gap of some 27 years as Penny Pepper pulled off a surprise triumph in the Group 3 TRM Ballyogan Stakes which may well mean ending her career in a blaze of glory.
The in-foal daughter of Fast Company had her favoured testing ground as she looked to improve on a listed placing earlier in the season. Nonetheless, Penny Pepper had it all do on ratings and was allowed to go off at 16/1 to give Prendergast his first win in the race since Wicked Folly in 1990 when the Ballyogan was run over five furlongs at Leopardstown’s old sprint track.
The race didn’t get off to an ideal start for Penny Pepper as she missed the break and the John Tuthill-owned and bred mare was only eighth with over a furlong to run. At this stage, the front-running Alphabet was keeping the field at bay but she began to falter late on and this looked to hand the advantage to the favourite Only Mine.
However, under the stand’s side rail Chris Hayes conjured a tremendous charge from his mount and Penny Pepper stormed home. She defeated Only Mine by a head with Alphabet the same distance away in third.
“In truth I didn’t think she would be able to win but Chris was very sweet on her and she had been working well,” said Prendergast. “She’s in foal to Dragon Pulse, who John Tuthill also bred, and that could well be her last run, but we’ll see. She loves this ground, all she needs is a set of oars!”
A premier handicap success on Guineas weekend signalled that Glamorous Approach (4/1) was nearing a return to peak form and she duly followed up with a career best in the Listed TRI Equestrian Silver Stakes. Jim Bolger’s charge, whose versatility means she has been placed from seven furlongs up to two miles, led from an early stage of this 10-furlong contest.
In the straight she responded generously for Kevin Manning and none of her rivals could ever land a telling blow. The favourite, Laganore, did close into second with over a furlong to run but she was still a length and a quarter adrift of the Jackie Bolger-owned four-year-old at the line.
Earlier, the Coolcullen trainer made it two juvenile winners in as many days as the newcomer Strike For Freedom obliged in the six-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. The Jackie Bolger-owned son of Dream Ahead looked held when he dropped back to third inside the last quarter of a mile.
Kevin Manning conjured a renewed effort from his mount and the 3/1 chance finished strongly to defeat the newcomer Moghamarah by a neck. Strike For Freedom comes from the immediate family of Sholokhov and Soldier Of Fortune.
“He’ll get a trip and better ground would be fine for him. Something like the Tyros Stakes could be the route for him,” declared Bolger.
DISQUALIFICATION
The card concluded with a disqualification in the 10-furlong TRM Invest In Calphormin Maiden as the first past the post High Haven was demoted to second behind the head runner-up Mr Everest (10/1). The latter looked to be gaining the upper hand inside the last furlong but High Haven then made contact with him as she drifted left under a right hand drive.
After that contact High Haven edged ahead to carry the day but viewings of the head on replay indicated that the initial winner was likely to lose out in the ensuing enquiry and the stewards found in favour of the runner-up.
Donnacha O’Brien was on board the Newtown Anner Stud-owned Mr Everest who was making his racecourse debut at the age of four.
“I was hoping he’d run well but I didn’t think he’d win,” remarked Joseph O’Brien. “I think he will make up into a nice staying horse. He probably deserved to get the race.”
After a trying start to the season, Adrian Keatley’s team have found form and the trainer sent out his second winner in a week courtesy of Duchess Of France (8/1) in the TRM Excellence In Equine Nutrition Irish EBF Fillies Handicap. The Dylan Thomas filly was just touched off at Ayr six days previously but a step up to seven furlongs on much softer ground enabled her to record the first success of her career.
Shane Foley’s mount was always close to the pace and kept on very well over the last furlong to defeat the strong travelling joint-favourite Tobacco Bay by two and three-quarter lengths.
“The horses just weren’t right after the first day of the season and we had to back off them completely but they are back in good shape now,” stated Keatley, whose winner is owned by the Blackwater Valley Syndicate.
The improving Rattling Jewel (7/2) is set for a rise in class as he defied a stone hike in the weights from Guineas weekend to follow up in the TRM-sponsored five-furlong handicap. Wayne Lordan was back on board his old ally and the pair helped to force a brisk tempo from the outset.
The John O’Mahony-owned runner had burnt off most of his rivals entering the final furlong and held on well to fend off Enter The Red by a short-head.
“He just got there but he loves it here and we’ll look at coming back for the Rockingham on Derby weekend. The ground is important to him and I wouldn’t like to run him on anything too quick,” said trainer Nicole McKenna.
Dragon Fei, who won the same race back in 2014, turned the www.trm-ireland.com Handicap into an utterly one sided affair. The well-backed 11/2 chance cruised to the front for Billy Lee with a quarter of a mile to run and quickly moved clear to defeat My Direction by four and a half lengths.
“She’s in foal to Dandy Man and that looks to have sweetened her up,” remarked Dermot McLoughlin, who trains the seven-year-old for David Eiffe.
Card out of date
IT was disappointing to note that on the racecard the form for Duchess Of France’s last three runs failed to include her close second at Ayr the previous Monday. Her most recent effort was given as an unplaced run at Navan last month.
Lost action
THE second favourite Red Label was reported to have lost his action during the race when finishing at the rear of the field in the Silver Stakes.
Hung badly
CONSTANCIO, who finished last when favourite for the concluding maiden, was reported by Kevin Manning to have hung badly off the last bend.
ACTING STEWARDS
F. Clarke, A. Byrne, S. McDonogh, R.S. Martin, P.D. Matthews
Horse To Follow
MY DIRECTION (Ms E. Holden): This gelding progressed well from his unplaced comeback to chase home Dragon Fei and it may not be long before he adds to his three flat wins of last year.