ON a day when her flat string made a resounding return to form, Jessica Harrington introduced a smart juvenile in Chicas Amigas who looks destined for better things on the evidence of her debut success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
The first six-furlong contest of the season for juveniles brought together an interesting sextet, and Chicas Amigas, the only filly in the field, boasted an intriguing set of silks in the distinctive lime and green colours of It’s All About The Girls. This 30-women syndicate has the dual Group 1 winner Global Glamour with Gai Waterhouse in Australia and, in this relatively inexpensive €25,000 yearling, they could shortly be entertaining thoughts of a trip to Royal Ascot.
ADVANTAGE
In a steadily run contest, the daughter of Dragon Pulse was never out of the first two and she quickened up smartly when the race began in earnest inside the last quarter of a mile. The 11/1 shot responded well to Shane Foley’s promptings to open up a useful advantage early in the last furlong and she accounted for the well-backed favourite Invasion Day by three-parts of a length.
“She’s a filly I’ve always liked and I had to run her here as she wants good ground,” said Harrington, who earlier in the day supplied the first Irish-trained winner of the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes at Ascot. “She will come on a nice bit from that and maybe the six-furlong listed race at Naas later in the month could be the race for her. She will get seven furlongs eventually.”
IMPRESSIVE FORM
As flat racing returned from a nine-day break Willie McCreery maintained his impressive form with Tammy Wynette (6/4) in the five-furlong maiden. The Frank Fahy-owned daughter of Tamayuz showed promise over seven furlongs at Leopardstown last month and coped well with a drop to the minimum trip.
The 6/4 favourite showed a good attitude for Billy Lee to get the better of a three-way battle with Nigg Bay and Early Call. There was just a head and a short-head between the leading trio and they got close together late on but the ensuing enquiry made no change to the placings.
“That’s my first winner for Frank Fahy and she is a filly with plenty of ability. This trip is a little bit short for her and ideally she’d like to go six or seven furlongs on good ground,” stated McCreery who was considering turning out his charge at Naas on Monday for the Polonia Stakes.
Ahead of Gustav Klimt’s Guineas bid, Aidan O’Brien and Seamie Heffernan successfully joined forces for the first time this season with Bond Street (11/8) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over a mile. The experienced 87-rated colt got to the head of the field nearing the final furlong and finished a length and three-quarters ahead of the newcomer Rapture’s Delight.
“He was the highest rated horse in the field and whatever beat him was probably going to have to run to 90,” declared the winning rider.
Georgie Hyphen (5/2) delivered on an encouraging first effort at this track last month by capturing the seven-furlong maiden for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane. The Damien Nolan-owned son of Zoffany led with over a furlong to run and went to the line in good style to defeat the promising newcomer Tremendous Leap by three parts of a length.
“He’s a very laid back horse at home and always looked like he wanted a trip. We’re delighted with that and can’t wait to move him up in distance. He showed that he’s come forward from his first run and hopefully he’ll do so again as he moves up in distance,” stated the trainer’s brother, Shane.
Earlier, Colin Keane struck on Sheisdiesel (5/2) who improved on a couple of runner-up finishes in recent weeks by registering a clear-cut success in the one-mile claimer. Noel Meade’s filly came through against the far rail to take charge of this race well over a furlong from home and she went on to defeat Elusive In Paris by two and three-quarter lengths.
The winner was in to be claimed for €12,000 but surprisingly didn’t attract any claims.
“She always runs her race and she goes well on this surface. She’s a consistent and reliable filly,” observed Meade of the Laurelmore Partnership-owned four-year-old.
Easily the finish of the night was supplied by the C & C Gleeson Handicap where the Fozzy Stack-trained Queen Rabab (5/1) came out the right side of a three-way battle. The Chris Hayes-ridden filly, Innamorare, and Rockfish went toe-to-toe over the last furlong and crossed the line in unison before the Pension Fund Syndicate-owned filly got the verdict by a nose. Innamorare took second, with Rockfish finishing a further nose back.
“She showed a bit last year. She takes things far too easy and it was a good call by Fozzy to put the cheekpieces on her. She travelled well and ground it out well,” reported the jockey.
VERSATILE
Dot Love made it three winners from her last five runners with the versatile Solar Heat (13/2) in the 45-65 rated mile and a half handicap. The nine-year-old, who has wins on the level, over hurdles and over fences to her name, launched a sustained effort for Ben Coen from early in the straight and she edged out Easy Boy by as short-head. Solar Heat carries the colours of the West To East Syndicate.
“She was entitled to be thereabouts and Ben knew her from having ridden her the last day and he gave her a lovely ride,” remarked Ciaran Murphy. “We have plenty of options for her and once the ground dries out we’ll probably find something for her over jumps in a few weeks’ time.
A resurgent Dance Alone struck at 16/1 for Damien English in the 45-65 rated six-furlong handicap. The grey won here in December 2016 but had struggled to recapture that form last year and came down almost a stone in the weights.
Rory Cleary got Dance Alone to the front with over a furlong to run and the five-year-old kept on willingly to see off Pillar by half a length.
“He got injured last year and just seemed to be minding himself since he came back. We ran him over a longer trip the last to make it easier for him but it was too far and the drop back in trip and cheekpieces sparked him back to life,” reported English.
ACTING STEWARDS
L. McFerran, P. Caffrey, J. Rearden, J. Osborne, H. Hynes
HORSE TO FOLLOW
NAMAZEE (A. Slattery): This gelding ran well to finish a close fourth in the handicap won by Queen Rabab. He reared up in the stalls and was hampered early on yet was still only beaten by a length which would suggest that he can get his turn at this level.