THE admirable Speak In Colours added further to his fine career and broke new ground as he scored over seven furlongs for the first time in the Group 3 Rybo Ballycorus Stakes.
Shane Crosse has struck up quite a rapport with Joseph O’Brien’s charge and, on this occasion, produced a ride of poise and patience which belied his 18 years.
The Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez-owned grey lined up with stamina concerns at this trip, but Crosse was quite content to take his time towards the rear. Any supporters of the 11/8 favourite need not have feared as Crosse deftly worked his way into contention without ever subjecting Speak In Colours to pressure.
The five-year-old appeared on the inner to lead early in the last furlong and shot clear for an impressive two-and-a-quarter-length success over Surrounding. Speak In Colours was following up his win in the previous weekend’s Group 2 Greenlands Stakes and this was the fourth weekend in a row that he has been in action.
“He got a lovely ride from Shane who said the horse travelled great all the way and all the gaps came at the right time,” said the trainer’s representative Brendan Powell. “He couldn’t have done it any easier and he’s just a fantastic horse with a wonderful constitution.”
Disqualification
The intervention of the stewards was required after the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden where Ontario (11/10) passed the post with a short-head to spare over Reve De Vol (7/2), whose subsequent promotion saw him become Ger Lyons’ first winner for Moyglare Stud.
Ontario came some way off the rail in the closing stages and gave the oncoming Donagh O’Connor-ridden Reve De Vol a bump around 75 yards from home and, given the margin of victory involved, a reversal of the placings looked inevitable.
After the finish, Reve De Vol galloped on strongly, which is usually a good sign, and this son of Siyouni looks a nice prospect for Ger Lyons and Moyglare Stud.
Michael Hussey picked up a one-day careless riding ban on Ontario.
“He’s out first runner for Moyglare and Donagh rides out for us once a week so its nice to give him a winner,” stated Lyons. “You don’t like to win a race like that but he’s a nice two-year-old colt and will improve plenty.”
IT was also a notable day for James McAuley, who only recently renewed his training licence, and he was rewarded with a first training success since 2012 with Timemakesitfine in the first division of the Baroneracing.com-sponsored 10-furlong handicap.
Once rated as high as 80 last season, the four-year-old filly sprang a 20/1 surprise under Joey Sheridan as she came with a stunning last-furlong surge to defeat Cobb And Co by seven lengths.
McAuley, whose colours have been carried with such distinction by star sprinter Sceptical, added: “We do a lot of the pre-training of the horses before they go down to Denis (Hogan) and then with Covid we were left with a backlog, so it was out of necessity more than anything else.”
Victory
McAuley later saw his colours carried to victory by a Denis Hogan inmate as Lincoln (5/1) brought up a double for Joey Sheridan in the Ratoath Pharmacy Handicap over six furlongs. As he looked to build on a good third to Jungle Jane at Tipperary, the nine-year-old was last turning for home but he finished with a great flourish to edge out Pulsating and Drumquina.
Afterglow a nice type for Oxx
AFTER getting off the mark for the season at Sligo three days previously, John Oxx was back among the winners as Afterglow (7/2) and Ross Coakley made all in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over a mile and a half.
This Godolphin-owned filly set a decent tempo from a potentially troublesome stall-18 draw and maintained that gallop to finish four and three-quarters lengths ahead of the 82-rated Prose.
“She had a nice run at the Curragh where she finished well after a slow start,” commented Oxx. “She’s a nice, staying type of filly who needed plenty of time and she might be one for those staying fillies’ stakes races.”
Ross Coakley later made it a double on Newgirlintown (10/1) in the second division of the 45-70 Baroneracing.com Handicap over 10 furlongs. This Ger O’Leary inmate, who was adding to a win at Chelmsford in February, got to the front nearing the last furlong and held off the staying-on Cache Queen by half a length.
Michael Halford and Sean Davis combined to take Irish EBF-sponsored colts’ and geldings’ maiden over a mile and a half with the resolute Zanahiyr (6/1).
Strapping colt
Fresh from a decent second at Navan the previous week, this Aga Khan-owned son of Nathaniel raced on the pace throughout and kept finding for pressure in the straight to defeat Ciel D’Afrique by a length and a quarter. This strapping colt appeals as one who should have more to offer through the second half of the season.
“He’s a horse with a future. I’m delighted for Sean. It’s his first win in these colours and he’s been riding out for us four or five mornings a week,” stated Halford.
The increasingly long reach of the Johnny Murtagh yard was felt once again as Springbank justified strong support throughout the day to land the three-year-old 10-furlong handicap. This race looked over when Charlie Bassett struck for home entering the last couple of furlongs, but the leader began to falter and Gary Halpin conjured a renewed surge from the Murtagh-trained son of Galileo who got up in the last stride.
This Maura Gittins and Catherine Kinane-owned gelding, who was third to Wichita in a Curragh maiden on his debut, was backed from as big as 10/1 into 7/2.