IT would be hard to better the debut of jockey Emma Doyle who won on 20/1 shot Northern Surprise in her mother Claire Doyle’s colours for her father and trainer Timothy Doyle.The eight-year-old gelding was 12th of the 14 runners a furlong from home in the BetVictor Handicap over a mile. However, he thundered home on the outside to get up by a neck from stablemate Spanish Soprano.
Doyle (19), who only received her licence the day before, said: “I honestly couldn’t believe it, he just kept picking up down the straight. I was barely touching him. I knew him from his good days when he won three around here, and he loves to come wide. Not a bother on him, he tried to run away on me coming back!”
On her first ride she added: “It was a lot faster. I’ve ridden in a few schooling races but it is much different out there. I wanted to drop in and just kind of get a schooling around but it worked out a whole lot better for me!
“I’m 19 and in my second year at Maynooth, so this is just a weekend job really. I’m studying Business and Marketing. The three-and-a-half-hour journey up (from Tipperary) paid off. Hopefully for the winter he’ll give me a few chances!”
Donagh O’Connor got a tune out of owner James McAuley’s Amanaat (8/1) who hit the front in the final 50 yards of the five-furlong BetVictor Handicap.
“They went hard in front. He didn’t have a great draw, Denis [Hogan] just told me to slot across, keep him travelling and come up between them,” the jockey said.
“It helped that they were stopping in the last furlong, and I was able to just come along and pick up the pieces. He found plenty of gears for me and travelled really well.”
Joseph O’Brien’s Roger That stepped up on a recent runner-up berth to win the BetVictor Maiden. Seamie Heffernan’s mount kept on well to see off well-backed-favourite Empire Line by half a length at 5/1.
The jockey, sporting the HLT Partnership silks, said: “Lovely horse. He had a lovely run on his first run when he was just a bit green and then a good run here. Joseph thought he would go close and he was spot on.”
Michael Halford’s Ahlan Bil Zain made it two-in-a-row over seven furlongs on the polytrack when asserting in the final furlong of the BetVictor Rated Race. After the five-year-old prevailed by three and three-quarter lengths, at 4/1, under Ben Coen, Halford said: “He looked in great form since at home even though we weren’t doing much with him – he had a bit of a swagger about him. It is always an option to go back on grass, I’ll see what there is for him. I’m delighted for the owners, they have had to be patient with him.”
DREAM HORSE
Park Row delighted Denis Coakley when edging out Markhan by a nose after a battle in the BetVictor Handicap over a mile and a half. He said of the 7/1 shot who was ridden by his son Ross: “He’s a dream of a horse. He knows how to win and he is so consistent. We are so lucky to have him.
“To be honest, we were quietly confident. He had worked well on Monday and the only thing in the back of my mind when they are running a long time is if you go once too much.”
Coakley owns the nine-year-old with his father Pat and Dr Joe Costello who is on the committee of Galway racecourse.
Ciao gave favourite backers some respite when overwhelming Bright Eyed at the business end of the extended mile-and-a-quarter BetVictor Maiden. After Robbie Colgan steered the 6/4 chance home by two and a half lengths, trainer Gavin Cromwell said: “Blinkers on first-time because she wandered about a bit the last day.
“Martin Hannan [owner] is just outside Ashbourne, he is a Sligo man and they are the Sligo colours. It is his first winner in those colours.”
Pat Murphy’s Duke Of Waspington landed a gamble in division one of the BetVictor Handicap. He was backed from 9/1 to 11/2 and got up by a head with 7lb-claimer Gavin Ryan.
Murphy said: “We knew he had ability from his runs here last year. Lately he had been showing more at home. Gavin’s claim helped, he is well worth his claim and he rides him out most weeks at home. He knows him well. The Power Of Positivity Syndicate is run by Derek Leonard, he got the lads together.”
Ragtime Red (10/1) came home strongly for Danny Sheehy to beat McGuigan by a length and a half in division two. Trainer Anthony McCann said: “He was third the last day and missed the break, I thought he would have won that night.
“I probably owe this to Des Scahill – he told me to buy him out of Ger Lyons’ yard so it is a big thanks to him.
“It’s great for Rita [Shah] who is the biggest backer you could have and a big thanks to the staff who were in over Christmas, this makes it worthwhile.”
Willie Byrne, who was on board the runner-up, picked up a two-day suspension for use of the whip in the latter stages.
ACTING STEWARDS
F. Cahill, N.B. Wachman, J. Hunt, P. Molony, P.D. Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW
PASS THE VINO
(D. Bunyan): A solid placed effort on his
Polytrack debut, and
this lightly-raced colt
can pick one up.