THE increasingly potent combination of Paddy Twomey and Billy Lee landed the night’s feature as Earl Of Tyrone enjoyed an impressive success in the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Handicap over a mile and three-quarters.
An impressive success in a Bellewstown maiden last time saw this Robert Moran-owned four-year-old go off a heavily supported 11/8 favourite.
Earl Of Tyrone took the step up to premier handicap company in his stride while relishing every yard of this new trip. He looked on from second before improving to strike the front over two furlongs from home and in just a few strides he put the race to bed before coming home four lengths clear of Moon Daisy.
“Billy felt going this trip would bring about improvement. He got a nice lead and looked comfortable all the way and he put them to the sword shortly after turning in,” observed the trainer.” Now we are guaranteed a slot we might go straight for the Ebor. The Irish Cesarewitch at the end of the season is an attractive option too.”
Aratori progresses
Eddie and Patrick Harty have a nice prospect on their hands in Aratori (5/2) who progressed from a pleasing debut second here on Guineas weekend to take the TRI Equestrian Maiden over six furlongs.
The Marie Harty-owned daughter of Caravaggio appeared to do everything at her leisure under Chris Hayes and seemed to have all her rivals covered from some way before a two-length success over the 66/1 newcomer Grigal.
“I thought she’d go close first time out and today I felt she maybe won with a bit in hand. With her pedigree we’ll look forward to trying to get blacktype with her,” remarked Eddie Harty.
Markievicz at last
The evening concluded with a Sky Bet-sponsored 30 runner six-furlong handicap where the Sheila Lavery-trained and Rory Cleary-ridden Markievicz prevailed.
A daughter of Dandy Man and the high-class Lavery-owned runner Viztoria, this filly was getting off the mark after 17 previous attempts and won nicely.
The well-supported 11/2 shot struck the front early in the last furlong to carry the day by two and a quarter lengths and she could easily win again this summer.
TWELVE months ago, the two-year-old races on this card were significant pointers to the future after falling to the subsequent Group 1 performers Point Lonsdale and Dr Zempf. The latest editions of those races could be significant with regard to the rest of the season.
First up was Crypto Force (14/1) who made a striking start in the Ryan’s Cleaning Irish EBF (C&G) Maiden over seven furlongs.
A graduate of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale in May, this Michael O’Callaghan inmate looked the part under Colin Keane who deputised for the suspended Leigh Roche.
After dropping in towards the rear in a steadily run affair, Crypto Force picked up smartly to hold every chance inside the last quarter of a mile and he moved clear over the course of the last furlong to prevail by two and a quarter lengths.
Also catching the eye in second was the odds-on newcomer Auguste Rodin. This son of Deep Impact and Rhododendron endured a luckless passage and lost all chance of winning when he got shut out of a gap on the approach to the final furlong. He kept on nicely for second once in the clear.
“We were very hopeful with his homework but then when you start hearing the talk about the others you get a little bit less confident,” remarked O’Callaghan. “The plan for us was that if he was able to win a race like this we’d bring him to the Chesham at Ascot.”
ALTHOUGH they were out of luck with Auguste Rodin, Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore hit back in the six-furlong Holden Plant Rentals Irish EBF Race where Age Of Kings (4/7) won in style. This Kingman colt was edged out in a tight finish at Naas last month when looking decidedly green but he was professional and assured at all stages here.
In the Westerbeg colours, Age Of Kings bossed this race from the front and when New Image threatened briefly heading towards the last furlong the Ballydoyle colt found a change of gear to surge away and run out a smooth four-length winner.
Age Of Kings could tackle the Railway Stakes next rather than heading to Ascot.
ANO Syra marked herself out as a sprinter up on the up with a dominant display in the €45,000 Sky Bet Junefest Handicap over the minimum trip.
This three-year-old-only affair looked a fairly competitive heat beforehand but it turned out to be anything but over the last furlong, as the Charlotte Musgrave-owned daughter of Kodiac blitzed her rivals.
As she looked to build on a good fourth to Drombeg Banner over a furlong farther at Naas last month, Ano Syra quickened smartly for Wayne Lordan to run away from her rivals in the closing stages and she had just under fourth lengths to spare over Little Queenie at the line.
“She keeps improving. The drop back to this trip was a worry but she travelled great and hit the line strong.
“It would be great if we picked up some blacktype with her at some point,” commented Feane.
Fennela’s success
Fennela bagged a precious success in the Sky Bet-sponsored fillies’ maiden over a mile and a half.
As a half-sister to three Group 1 winners headed by the Oaks heroine Forever Together, Jessica Harrington’s charge is easily one of the best-bred fillies in training in Ireland, so this was a significant success for the Vimal Khosla-owned daughter of Sea The Stars.
Fennela had shaped well in 10-furlong maidens on her first two starts and the step-up to a mile and a half in first-time cheekpieces yielded her best effort yet.
The 11/4 chance struck the front for Shane Foley well over a furlong from home and went on to defeat the newcomer Over The Rainbow by two and a quarter lengths. The winner will now tackle the Irish Oaks.