NELSON Road’s journey up from Co Cork paid off when he came out on the right side of a photo in the West Coast Cooler Ulster Cesarewitch Handicap.
John Murphy’s four-year-old gelding saw out the two and a quarter-mile trip well under Shane Foley but had to fend off strong-finishing Boom Or Bush by a nose to take the spoils at 8/1 for owner Thomas Keithley.
Murphy was represented by his son John, who said: “He’s a very, very tough horse as you can see. He’s a big, tall boy. He has improved and improved, he had a very good run the last day. We thought he would go very close today. He’ll come on again from that.
“Down the line I’d say he could be a very decent hurdler for someone. He’d stay going all day and he’s very genuine which is important on that ground (soft to heavy).
“Thank God that makes the trip home a bit shorter – it’s five hours!”
There was a major plunge on Tony Martin’s Whatsforuwontgobyu from 12/1 to 9/2 but he finished out of the places in fourth.
The Weatherbys Handicap went the way of Path Of Silver (8/1) who won for the third time this season.
Oisin Orr sent her clear inside the final furlong and the pair enjoyed a comfortable success by two and a quarter lengths.
Trainer Richard Brabazon said: “She is having some campaign, she is just as game as hell. When the ground came soft I said seven (furlongs) is far enough for her and Oisin said she handled it so that is something new.
“Oisin is riding just great, he rode it just beautifully. He just didn’t get flustered, he waited and took his time and he got space – he got space in a 14-runner race and drawn wide when he didn’t give away the ground. It was a typical ride of a fella just full of confidence.”
Orr came in for more praise when he doubled up on Martin’s Our Rachael, the 3/1 favourite for the West Coast Cooler Apprentice Handicap.
The five-year-old mare kept on well a furlong out to come in by half a length for Maynooth owner Donal Houlihan.
Martin said: “She’s tough. She’s better on better ground, she’s a good-actioned filly. It’s loose, lucky enough we got through it. It’s not winter ground so fortunately enough it went well.
“Oisin is a very good rider. He’s great value for 5lbs although he didn’t claim it today. A great chap and he is a big-race jockey of the future.”
Damselfly was a very solid favourite for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden (11/4 to 2/1) for juveniles and the market got it right as she collared Kimono Girl close home to win by half a length.
Anne Marie O’Brien’s filly was trained by her son Joseph and ridden by Wayne Lordan, who said: “She travelled quite well. The ground was a little bit slow for her today, it’s soft ground and I rolled around a little bit in it but she’s a very consistent and genuine filly.
“She went to the line well. Another furlong would be a help as well. I suppose she was entitled to win that.”
The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden for three-year-olds and upwards also saw a half-length verdict for Focus Of Attention (9/1).
Eddie Lynam’s filly cut down the gambled-on-favourite Shinko Princess in the closing stages to give Robbie Downey a victory.
Lynam, who saddled three in the race, said: “There are not many of these races left and these are horses that have had little issues along the way. This filly is a big filly and took a bit of time. She saw it out well, she’s learning as she goes along.
“It’s the first horse that three lads that work in London have with me (Peter Fagan, Niall O’Rourke and Jack Wallis). She’s a well-bred filly. She has a good attitude and it was nice to win a race and she might win another one hopefully.”
Johnny Murtagh’s Beach Wedding showed plenty of speed as she dominated from the front in the Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Maiden for owner Wendy O’Leary.
Rory Cleary guided the 6/4 favourite home by two and a quarter lengths and said: “She had great form in the book. Johnny had her 100% today, all I had to do was jump out and ride her positive. She did all the rest for me.
“Johnny didn’t make it today as he was busy. He was very confident. He said to keep it simple, jump out and ride her positive and wherever you are from there to make the best way home as she’ll get there.”
Danny Sheehy drove Magic Sea home on the line to land the West Coast Cooler Rose Nursery Handicap by a nose for local trainer Sarah Dawson.
“He’s a lovely horse but he’s just been slow for the penny to drop. I didn’t think he would handle that ground at all, he’s such a good mover,” Dawson said of the 20/1 outsider.
“He has a big long stride and I just told Danny that we had an awful draw and even if he had to stay wide to keep riding and keep him rolling and just use his length of stride. I think he coped with it all today.
“He’s definitely one for Dundalk. He’s very, very big – he’s about 16.1hh. I’ve been waiting for him to sort of fall apart after every run and put him away because he is so tall but he actually thrives on his work so we’ll keep him going now.”
ACTING STEWARDS
R.S. Martin, L. McFerran, J. Hunt, J.G. McCoy,
H. Hynes
HORSE TO FOLLOW
KIMONO GIRL (E. Kent): She showed good pace when outgunned by a more experienced rival.
Whip ban
DANNY Sheehy picked up a two-day suspension for using his whip with excessive force and frequency.