A LANDMARK evening for Adrian McGuinness yielded the first treble of his career and two of the trainer’s victories were supplied by stable stalwarts Specific Gravity and Oor Jock, with the former securing the featured 10-furlong handicap at 4/1.
The in-form Specific Gravity went almost four years without a win but this latest triumph, which kicked off the 119/1 treble, meant that he has now struck five times in the last nine months.
The Sean Gallagher-owned gelding held every chance from well over a furlong out. In the closing stages he gamely responded to Ronan Whelan to prevail by half a length from Song Of Love.
“The last day he finished well but ideally I would have liked to have gotten out a bit earlier on him so today I was keen to get a clear run,” said the winning rider. “This is his ideal trip and he loves this surface.”
The vastly experienced Oor Jock then took the first division of the 45-65 rated six-furlong handicap. Now a six times winner from 102 career starts, the Dan Daly-owned gelding was produced by Declan McDonogh to lead heading into the final furlong. Oor Jock (3/1) stuck to his task to edge out Strategic Heights by a head.
“I got there a shade early on him but he stuck his head out and kept going,” reflected McDonogh.
The trainer’s evening reached its crescendo as Guanabara Bay (5/1) bagged the second of the 45-65 rated sprint handicaps. Another Sean Gallagher-owned runner, he filled the runner-up spot on his Irish debut here the previous week and coped well with the drop back from six furlongs. Colin Keane conjured a sustained charge from his mount which carried the pair to a half-length triumph over Cappadocia.
A week after sending out his first winner as a trainer, Ballingarry-based Richard O’Brien struck again as the English import Patrick (9/1) bagged the six-furlong handicap. A third winner for apprentice jockey Evan Daly, the winner looks a useful recruit for his Mullingar-based owners the Belvedere Partnership.
Patrick had the measure of the front-running Geological from well over a furlong out and he saw off that rival by a length and a quarter.
O’Brien commented: “It’s lovely for Evan, whose Dad is very friendly with one of the owners. His 10lb claim was valuable. There’s another suitable race back here soon.”
Earlier, Colin Keane teamed up with the useful looking Tuff Love (7/2) who made a winning debut in the three-year-old maiden over seven furlongs. The David Spratt-owned Tuff Love produced a thoroughly resolute effort to edge out the promising John Ess in the final yards.
This victory meant another winner for Ger Lyons.
“Roger Marley and John Cullinan had him at the breeze-up sales and they’ve never put us wrong,” declared Shane Lyons. “Colin felt that his class got him there and that he’s a miler. He could come back for a winners’ race in four weeks.”
Duchessofflorence (5/1), due to be covered this spring, is ending her career in style and she made it three wins from her last five outings in the mile and a half rated race. The Michael Enright-owned mare travelled especially well and still looked to be full of running with over a furlong to run.
Asked to assert by Conor Hoban, she picked up nicely to defeat Sea Of Love by three-quarters of a length.
“Her win last time gave her plenty of confidence so we’ll look to get another run into her,” declared Michael Halford.”
Catchy Lass (5/2) took advantage of a drop in grade to dominate the 10-furlong claimer. She was settled off the pace by Conor McGovern but she began to scythe through the pack from the turn-in.
With just under a furlong to run, Catchy Lass surged past He’s Our Music before a four and a quarter-length triumph over Ineffable. The latter was subsequently claimed by R.M.D. Cleaning, to join Rodger Sweeney, for €10,000.
“Her last run here a couple of weeks ago (fifth to Mainicin) was a solid one and she was coming down in grade,” stated trainer Tony Mulholland.
Try Again continued his bright start to 2017 as he added the 45-65 rated handicap over a mile to his victory in the track’s opening fixture of the year. Danny Sheehy had the 7/2 chance challenging for the lead from early in the straight and the pair got on top inside the distance to see off Purple Party by half a length.
He might just have been feeling the surface a little there so we might wait until the turf and run him with some ease in the ground. He’ll go hurdling in the summer,” reported Paul Flynn.
ACTING STEWARDS
J. Murphy, J. Rearden, N. McGrath, R. Macauley, P.D. Matthews
Horse To Follow
JON ESS (C. O’Dwyer): This son of Dragon Pulse made a heartening start to his career when going down by just a short-head to Tuff Love.