A PAIR of juvenile fillies with the potential to hold their own at quite a high level provided a striking start to this fixture and the victory of Yet in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden offered Yet further evidence of the impressive depth of talent amongst the Ballydoyle two-year-olds.
This imposing War Front filly, who is out of a half-sister to Giant’s Causeway, was allowed to go off at 4/1 for her debut and Seamie Heffernan produced her to lead early in the straight in this five-furlong contest.
As the last furlong loomed, Yet seemed sure to be picked off by the strong-travelling and well backed favourite Orinoco River. Yet responded splendidly to pressure and got home by a neck with the pair finishing some seven and a half lengths clear of Cailin Cliste who had shaped nicely on her debut at Naas last month.
“She’s a massive filly and toughed it out well and won well at the line. I liked her and my first impression today was that she could be an Ascot filly,” remarked Heffernan.
Drish shocks
The jockey went on to bring up a double from an unlikely source as Drish Hero, owned and trained by Donal Commins, sprang a 40/1 shock in the 45-65 rated handicap over six-furlongs.
The four-year-old had struggled on his first two handicaps runs and was beaten some 22 lengths at Gowran Park eight days previously but revelled in the switch back to polytrack. He held every chance from the turn-in and kept on well for Heffernan to see off Brother In Law by three-quarters of a length.
AFTER his successful venture to Killarney the previous evening, Colin Keane added another winner to his impressive early season haul as the Kevin Smith-trained International Lady secured the three-year-old handicap over a mile.
The daughter of Showcasing went up 9lbs for a recent success at Cork but confirmed herself to be a filly on the up as she came with a strong last furlong charge to defeat Devious Dreamer by half a length.
The 3/1 favourite is proving to be quite a bargain for owner Peter Durnin as she was picked up for a mere 1,500gns at Newmarket last October.
Rocky rocks in
Rocky Dreams (7/1) made his fourth and final start for Denis Hogan a winning one in the Hollywoodbets Horse Racing Claiming Race over six-furlongs. The lightly raced four-year-old, who was making just the sixth appearance of his career, ended up winning this race with plenty to spare.
The Reddy To Rock Syndicate-owned winner got on top for Joey Sheridan as the last furlong loomed and he defeated the favourite War Hero by two and a half lengths.
Leanne Breen claimed the winner for €15,000 while the sixth-placed Hero Of The Hour was picked up for €8,000 by David Hoey and will join George Kingston.
A good run of form for the Pat Martin yard continued as Quiet Desire (12/1) came good in the 45-65 rated handicap over a mile-and-a-half.
The Peter Cullen-owned five-year-old hadn’t won before now but was a more than deserving winner on several of her previous efforts. In a race where all the action unfolded towards the stand’s side rail, Dylan Browne McMonagle produced his mount to hold every chance from well over a furlong out and she got the better of the favourite, Getaway Queen, by three-quarters of a length.
“I’m so pleased for her owner Peter Cullen who is so enthusiastic. It’s a big deal for him and it’s a big deal for us all. I trained the dam, Goose Island, who won seven races for us. This is the first one we’ve had out of her and it’s a great buzz for this one to win,” commented Martin.
Baron lords it over his rivals
MICHAEL Halford could have a very useful middle-distance prospect on his hands in Baron Zee who brought the curtain down on the action at Dundalk until mid-July with an assured success in the mile-and-a-quarter maiden.
After a really pleasing debut third to Dublin Journal at Naas last month, the Castle Beech Partnership-owned son of Zoffany took another step forward under Ronan Whelan. The 7/2 shot didn’t have to work too hard to defeat the front-running favourite Malawi by two and a half lengths and there is definitely more to come from him.
“We’ve liked him all along but these maidens are so strong at the moment. He showed a lovely turn of foot there and put it to bed very quickly. I think he’s only going to improve and I think he’s a stakes horse,” reported the trainer.
A drop back to the minimum trip looks to have opened up plenty of opportunity for The Highway Rat (9/2) who impressed in the three-year-old sprint handicap where he was partnered by Ronan Whelan. A debut winner of a seven-furlong maiden here in January, this Dandy Man gelding looked a different proposition back in trip. The top weight made the running and asserted in great style over the last quarter of a mile to dish out a seven lengths beating to his rivals.
“We felt after his last run at Leopardstown that sprinting might be his forte. He’s got strength and power and he’s learning to relax,” reflected Oliver whose wife, Saffron, owns the winner.