FOR the first time in its relatively brief history the Group 3 Al Basti Equiworld Mercury Stakes went to the two-year-old generation as Dr Simpson, a second stakes winner in Ireland in recent weeks for Tom Dascombe, shocked a host of better fancied rivals.
A fifth English-trained winner of this race in six years, the Russell Jones-owned Dr Simpson was the third lowest rated runner in the field and she had it all to do on her fourth in an Ayr listed race last month.
However, she turned out in the form of her life under Rory Cleary and made the most of a considerable weight-for-age concession.
The daughter of Dandy Man raced on the pace from the outset and, while she was under pressure sooner than a number of her opponents, she kept going well. She had the measure of last year’s winner Hit The Bid as the last furlong loomed and was not for catching.
Dr Simpson got to the line three-quarters of a length ahead of her compatriot and fellow two-year-old Dream Shot with Corinthia Knight a head back in third to make it a clean sweep for the visitors.
“She’s very straightforward and simple. She hit the gates well, travelled good and strong all the way and picked up well,” said Cleary.
“She shows loads of pace and it’s hard to peg them back with just 8st 4lbs on their back.”
It was a night to remember for apprentice Vanessa Maye who rode the first winner of her career aboard Damien English’s redoubtable seven-year-old Geological who was making it 11 wins from 100 career starts.
The Grougha Stables-owned gelding went to the front early on and he had his rivals stretched to their limit from early in the straight with the result that the 22/1 chance finished a length and a half clear of Never Back Down.
Vanessa Maye, who is the third jockey to ride their first winner on this horse, is apprenticed to Jack Davison. Geological will be kept busy at Dundalk through the winter.
GER Lyons made a tremendous start to the evening by winning the first three races and he provided Colin Keane with an invaluable double as he looked to peg back Donnacha O’Brien in the jockeys’ title.
The pick of the three Lyons winners was Long Arm who turned in a really impressive effort on just his second racecourse outing to land a good mile and a half handicap.
Who’s Steph’s younger half-brother was looking to defy an opening mark of 86 and did so in very taking fashion to defeat the joint-favourite Moktamel by half a length. This Patrick Headon-owned 9/1 chance did exceptionally well to maintain his unbeaten record here and he could emerge as a middle-distance runner of real quality in 2020.
Lyons and Keane then struck with the Vincent Gaul-owned Leadership Race in the seven-furlong nursery. Just as he did when scoring on this gelding a fortnight previously, Keane was quite content to drop in towards the rear before bringing the son of Brazen Beau with a sustained charge in the straight and the 4/1 favourite led early in the last furlong.
He defeated Red Lark by three-quaters of a length and will more than likely be kept under wraps until next season.
The Lyons treble began when the Simon Kwok-owned Major Reward (100/30) took the apprentice riders’ claimer over an extended 10 furlongs. The Dawn Approach gelding was giving rider John Shinnick the third winner of his career in defeating Yuften by two and a half lengths.
Major Reward was later claimed for €20,000 by James McAuley who owned the runner-up.
Another apprentice to move on to the three-winner mark for their career was Mikey Sheehy who won the first division of the BetVictor-sponsored 45-65 rated seven-furlong handicap aboard Austin Leahy’s Drombeg Duke.
The Cian McAuliffe-owned 10/1 shot came from well back early in the straight to defeat Mulzamm by a length and a half. This victory was a welcome boost for the trainer whose daughter Susan is recovering in hospital from a broken back.
Lynam/Orr double
EDDIE Lynam pitched in with two winners for the 2017 champion apprentice Oisin Orr in this year’s title race.
Masalai (11/1), who is owned by Lynam’s wife Aileen, took the second division of the BetVictor sponsored 45-65 rated seven-furlonghandicap. The winner came from last, turning in to defeat the Slattery-ridden Khafaaq by half a length.
The Lynam-trained and owned Benedict Roezl (7/1) brought up the double when taking the BetVictor-sponsored six-furlong maiden on just the second outing of his career. He raced on the pace throughout and found plenty over the last furlong and a half to beat the always prominent Fujaira King by half a length.