Rest of THE card

HE may have taken time to deliver on the considerable potential that was in evidence early in his career but Toscanini is on a roll now and bagged his second good sprinting prize of the season in the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club Phoenix Sprint Stakes.

The former National Stakes second claimed a listed win over this course and distance on Derby weekend and followed that with an honourable runner-up finish in the Minstrel Stakes last month.

However, it was a return to sprinting that enabled the Godolphin-owned gelding to take another step forward as he dealt with a stern challenge from across the Irish Sea.

James Doyle got Toscanini into a good position on the pace from the outset of this Group 3 and when it mattered most the 5/1 chance showed a fine attitude.

He first found plenty to deal with Lord Of The Land and then in the last furlong to ran on strongly to contain the Richard Fahey challenger, Eastern Impact, by a length and a quarter.

Last year’s star juvenile Air Force Blue cast a forlorn figure as he trailed in at the rear of the field.

“He’s always had the ability and he’s finally grown up. He had his ground and trip today,” declared Michael Halford. “Earlier in his career he was maybe a shade immature but he did that well and got a great ride from James, who did well to get into a good position from his draw.’’

Halford went on to complete a double as Castle Guest gave locally-born apprenice Robert Smithers (18) his first winner in the O’Brien’s Wines Handicap. It was only two runs previously that Castle Gust, who is owned by Halford stalwart Paul Rooney, reached the frame in a €100,000 Leopardstown handicap, but he was still allowed to go off at 10/1.

Castle Guest was one of several runners that held every chance from over a furlong out and, having eventually seen off Could Should Would, he held on gamely to deny Aspen Mountain by half a length.

“Nine furlongs is probably his best trip but I thought that the stiff mile here would suit him and Robert’s 10lb claim was a big help – it’s a lot of weight. The horse had come down a bit in the weights too,” commented Halford. “Robert tries hard and he’s a great worker. He was good on this horse and kept his head too. I’m thrilled this horse has won for Paul Rooney, who has given a lot of apprentices in our yard chances to get going early in their careers.”

Hydrangea, who was perhaps a somewhat unlucky second at Galway 12 days previously, was an ultimately dominant winner of the Loder EBF Fillies Race to earn consideration for various group races over the coming months.

The Seamie Heffernan-ridden daughter of Galileo made most of the running in the tightly grouped field of five and then she pressed on as the last couple of furlongs loomed. It was soon apparent that her rivals were struggling to make an impact and Hydrangea (4/9) kept on nicely to account for the newcomers Madam Cherie and White Satin Dancer by two and a quarter lengths and half a length respectively.

“She had a nice run in Galway and she’s done that well even though she was still a bit green in front,” remarked Aidan O’Brien. “She will probably stick to seven furlongs for the time being but she won’t mind going a mile later in the season. She’ll step into all those group races.”

IMPRESSIVE JUVENILE

Another impressive day on the juvenile front for Aidan O’Brien also featured a nice front-running performance from Utah (11/10) in the Anglesey Lodge Equine Hospital EBF Maiden. The brother to the Derby second At First Sight was beaten by almost 10 lengths on his debut at Leopardstown but shaped much better than the final result there, which was borne out by this effort.

Heffernan’s mount was in an ideal position from the outset and found plenty over the last quarter of a mile when required. He initially saw off Gino Severini and Grandee and then stayed on well to finish two and a quarter lengths ahead of his oncoming stablemate Anvil.

“He just didn’t get a clear run the first day and, only for that, Seamie felt that he’d have finished second or third. He got a good position today and galloped out well to the line,” said O’Brien.

After showing nice improvement from her first to her second run, the Michael O’Callaghan-trained Mur Hiba made further progression on her latest outing to claim the K Club EBF Maiden. The drop back to five furlongs was absolutely no problem to the Helmet filly, who carries the colours of Sheikh Khalifa Al Maktoum. She travelled smoothly for Kevin Manning and responded well to pressure to take control of the race entering the last furlong. Blitz finished out her race strongly but she was still half a length adrift at the line.

“She’s very relaxed at home and that’s why she started out over seven furlongs, but each time she’s come to the races she has shown her natural speed,” commented O’Callaghan. “The last time, over six furlongs, we were very positive on her and she probably just didn’t see it out. She’s a big filly and is still a little immature so we might look for a stakes race for her and then put her away until next year.”

Promising apprentice Killian Leonard once again showcased his talents as he got Plough Boy home in front in the Plusvital Handicap over seven furlongs. The 8/1 chance was a three-time winner last summer but had looked to be in the grip of the handicapper for much of the current campaign.

On this occasion a thoroughly willing Plough Boy, who kept close to the pace at all stages, improved to head Texas Rock as the last furlong loomed.

The latter stuck to his task well, but Plough Boy maintained his advantage to cross the line with three-quarters of a length to spare.

“He’s been hitting the crossbar all season and it’s nice to get another one with him,” reported Garvan Donnelly, who trains the gelding for Judy Duffy. “Killian’s 7lb claim was a big help to him and we’ll look at Killarney and Listowel now. He likes the tighter tracks.”