THE theme of shock results in the initial pattern races of the 2015 flat season continued as 50/1 shot Flight Risk claimed the Group 3 Big Bad Bob Gladness Stakes to headline a treble for Jim Bolger and Kevin Manning.

Ramone had defied odds of 100/1 in the Park Express Stakes and then Success Days belied his position as the outsider of the field in the Ballysax Stakes a fortnight ago.

A strong edition of the Gladness attracted four horses who had been placed at Group 1 level yet the outcome was a clear cut win for Flight Risk who was well held in a Cork listed race on his recent return to action.

The Jackie Bolger-owned winner came here with just a Cork maiden win to his name but five of his previous seven starts had been at stakes level. He was beaten less than two lengths in a Group 3 sprint last season but Flight Risk’s hopes of becoming Bolger’s first winner of this race since Idris (1996) still looked remote.

In a steadily run contest, a host of the fancied runners were well placed entering the last couple of furlongs but none could match Flight Risk over the last 200 yards. The Teofilo four-year-old stayed on well to the line to defeat 33/1 chance Piri Wango by a length and a quarter. The former Dewhurst Stakes second Cable Bay fared best of the English contingent in third while the Diamond Jubilee Stakes runner-up Due Diligence took seventh on his return.

“Pat O’Donovan rides him out regularly and he told me the other day that he could be a Group 1 horse if everything fell right for him some day,” said Bolger. “He got bogged down on the ground at Cork last time and the better ground helped.”

The Coolcullen team’s domination extended to the other stakes race on the card as Parish Hall repeated his 2013 triumph in the Alleged Stakes. The former Dewhurst Stakes winner also defeated his Group 1-winning stablemate Loch Garman who was running for the first time since the 2013 Prix du Jockey Club.

Parish Hall made stylish progress on the outer approaching the straight and he was going strongly for Kevin Manning heading into the last two furlongs. The 9/2 chance soon brushed aside the evens favourite Massinga and he finished two lengths ahead of Loch Garman who saw out his race well.

“He’s a smart horse on his day and we’ll now have a look at the Mooresbridge Stakes (next month),” declared Bolger. “Loch Garman is on his way back. He got badly carved up in the French Derby two years ago and it took a long time for the wounds to heal and for him to come sound. I think he could get a mile and a half.”

TALENTED JUVENILE

Earlier Bolger took the wraps off a talented juvenile in Mimicking in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. The Godolphin-owned daughter of Invincible Spirit was drawn on the outer and was forced to race five wide but she travelled powerfully at all stages. The 2/1 favourite got to the front as the last furlong loomed for an assured length and three-quarters triumph over stablemate Ard San Aer.

“She did well to win from where she was drawn. Kevin was very happy with her and we’ll look at races like the Marble Hill Stakes for her next and maybe Ascot,” commented Bolger. “Later in the season there’s the Moyglare – she’d get that trip.”

HAYES DOUBLE

Chris Hayes made it eight winners in seven days with a double which began with Penny Pepper who was rounding off an industrious few days for Kevin Prendergast in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over six furlongs. The John Tuthill-owned and bred daughter of Fast Company was second in both her starts in Britain last season and she had no trouble making a winning start in this country. After racing up with the pace, Penny Pepper (5/1) led over a furlong from home and she stayed on well to carry the day by two and a half lengths.

“I trained the dam and she was good, she won two listed races,” commented the trainer. “I’ve had this filly since January. She was a bit fresh but travelled nicely and the hope is that she can get blacktype.”

Hayes then won on Papa’s Way (9/2) who was notching up his second triumph of the season in the 10-furlong Clongowes Wood College Bicentenary Handicap. After tracking the clear pace-setter Jeremy’s Girl, the Paul Deegan charge then struck for home some way out and pressed on to hold a decent advantage. I’ll Be Your Clown and Lady Giselle both threatened at various stages but the Rosha Lyttle-owned gelding battled well to remain in front. Lady Giselle, who chased home the winner at Cork earlier in the month, once again took second ahead of the strong finishing English raider War Singer.

“The ground is just starting go against him. Chris had him rolling down the hill and got them on the stretch. He’s riding out of his skin at the moment,” commented Deegan.

SURPRISE WINNER

Aidan O’Brien claimed the 10-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden but it was the relatively unconsidered newcomer Sandro Botticelli (11/1) and not the yard’s 5/4 favourite Los Barbados (third) who succeeded. The Galileo colt enjoyed a smooth run through on the inner for Seamus Heffernan to make his bid nearing the last furlong and he got the better of the front-running Time To Inspire by three-quarters of a length.

“He’s been asleep at home but he’s obviously better on the track,” reflected O’Brien.

The Ken Condon stalwart In Salutem (11/1) bounced back from a below par effort here last month to claim the Cunninghams Of Kildare Handicap. The vastly experienced five-year-old got a split between horses to make his bid nearing the furlong pole and he finished out his race in good style under Shane Foley to defeat the top weight Master Speaker by a length and three-parts.

“He’s a big, heavy topped horse and the older he’s gotten the more he appreciates an ease in the ground,” remarked Condon whose charge carries the colours of Declan Ryan. “The ground was too testing for him here last month. He has the ability but like a lot of sprinters he has good days and indifferent ones.”

ACTING STEWARDS

P.N. Reynolds, C.E. O’Sullivan, R. Dore, P. Molony, P.D. Matthews

Horse To Follow

EAU SEA BLEUE (J.M. Oxx): This Sea The Stars filly finished seventh in the maiden won by Sandro Botticelli but showed plenty of promise having looked very green early on. She was only beaten two and a half lengths and should improve considerably for this experience.