THE indomitable English veteran Take Cover made a victorious return to Dundalk with a second, and especially brave, victory in the Al Basti Equiworld Mercury Stakes.
A winner of this race in 2015, the David Griffiths-trained 10-year-old was bidding to give the raiders a fourth successive victory in this five-furlong dash and he was returned the 8/11 favourite to do so. Already victorious in a Group 3 and two listed races this season, the Singspiel gelding looked to stand apart from his rivals but he had to pull out all the stops to hold off Hit The Bid.
The ageless trail-blazer had no problem with the driving rain but, in the straight, the runners were buffeted by a ferocious headwind which forced Take Cover and Hit The Bid over to the stands’ side rail.
It was looking ominous for the favourite when he was headed by Hit The Bid less than a furlong from home but he rallied splendidly for David Allan to force his way back to the front late on and carry the day by a neck. The two-year-old Declarationofpeace ran a fine race to finish a further length and a half back in third.
“A winner always helps to dry you out,” said a saturated but delighted Griffiths who trains the gelding for his breeder Norcroft Park Stud.
“He’s had a cracking season and, while it was a worry when he was headed, it does take a very good one to beat him. We could look at Hong Kong now but its more likely that he’s finished until next year when hopefully he’ll be as good at the age of 11.”
Massif Central, a €200,000 purchase at last month’s Goffs Champions Sale, made his first start for Michael Halford a winning one in the mile maiden.
As he looked to build on a second in the Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes two months previously, he was sent off the 1/2 favourite and was travelling easily for Pat Smullen off the last bend.
It took the Paul Rooney-owned three-year-old some time to assert his superiority but he subdued Pennsylvania in the last furlong and went on to prevail by a one and three-quarter lengths.
“It’s nice he’s done that and he’s a big, scopey horse who should only get stronger,” remarked Halford. “Dubai was in the back of our minds but I’m just not sure if he’s mature enough for that.”
Halford, Smullen and Paul Rooney also struck with Katiymann who pounced late in a well contested mile handicap. The 5/2 favourite had run some decent races in defeat since scoring at Leopardstown in April but gave the impression that there was more to come and he duly progressed from last week’s close third over this course and distance. Smullen judged things to perfection here as he produced the five-year-old from well off the pace to edge out Fuwairt in the final yards.
“He loves running at a strong pace and it worked out well tonight as they went good and hard,” declared Halford.
“Pat felt when he rode him last week it took him a little while to trust the surface and that he was better on it tonight. He’ll be back here for a nice mile handicap next month.”
APPRENTICES
Oisin Orr secured another valuable winner in his quest for the apprentice riders’ title as he took the mile and a half handicap on My Direction. The Ellmarie Holden inmate was just 3lbs higher in the weights for last month’s course and distance triumph and, came with quite a rattle from the rear over the course of the last two furlongs.
The 9/1 shot saw off Thunder Crash by three-quarters of a length.
“We’ll keep him on the go and look for something back up here in a few weeks. I didn’t think he’d any chance turning in but he finished very well,” declared the trainer.
Storm Has Broken, who came under the hammer at Goffs on Tuesday, signed off on a winning note for Darren Bunyan by landing something of a gamble in the seven-furlong nursery. The Do Well Syndicate-owned winner was backed from 25/1 into 14/1 on track to improve on three unplaced maiden runs and he did so by making most of the running and defying a wide draw under Leigh Roche.
Storm Has Broken held a good lead with over a furlong to run and he kept on to contain the staying-on So Enjoy by half a length.
“He’s a hardy little fellow and he’d go through anything for you.
“He’s a horse that someone is going to have a lot of fun with as he’s well handicapped and could run away here all winter,” reported Bunyan.
CLAIMED
Fresh from a solid third in a juvenile hurdle at Thurles eight days previously, the Joseph O’Brien-trained Thomas O’Malley landed the 10-furlong claimer under Sean Corby. The 76-rated gelding was drawn widest of all but was soon looking on from second and he then cruised to the front around a quarter of a mile from home.
The 33/1 outsider Lleyton emerged to give chase entering the last furlong but he still finished a length and a half adrift of the Annus Mirabilis Syndicate-owned gelding.
Both the winner and the runner-up were claimed by trainer Jimmy Finn for €20,000 and €6,000 respectively with Llyeton being the subject of a record 18 claims.
A month after giving Denis Coakley his first victory as a trainer, Boxer Dunford followed up in the first division of the 45-65 rated seven-furlong handicap. The trainer’s son, Ross, was once again on board the four-year-old who he produced with a telling challenge on the inner to overcome the 33/1 shot Glenmoore.
“Ross knows him so well I don’t need to give him instructions,” stated a delighted Coakley, who owns the winner in partnership with Arthur Connick.
“Michael Ryan gave him to us a couple of years ago and he’s a real family pet, he’s the kindest horse you could ever get. Hopefully he’ll keep improving through the winter and he’ll be back here in a few weeks.”
She has suffered some narrow defeats over the past two seasons but fortune finally favoured Bouquet Garni (8/1) in the second division of the 45-65 rated handicap.
Edward O’Grady’s charge, who is owned and bred by the trainer’s wife Maria, was always nicely placed in behind the leaders and responded well to Billy Lee’s promptings to take control of this race entering the last furlong. The daughter of Rip Van Winkle saw off Compatriot by a length and a quarter.
ACTING STEWARDS
P.N. Reynolds, J.M. McGrath, P. Law, Dr J.F. Gillespie, H. Hynes
Horse To Follow
SO ENJOY (J.A. Nash): She showed up well on her first nursery outing to chase home the well-backed Storm Has Broken. A similar effort can see her succeed during the winter.