AFTER producing his team for the week in absolutely outstanding order, Emmet Mullins secured the feature race triumph as Crowns Major landed the €100,000 Galway Shopping Centre Handicap.
A sixth winner of the season for Limerick-born teenager Wesley Joyce and by far the biggest of that jockey’s career, Crowns Major was turning out for the second time this week after taking second in a handicap over two miles on the second day of the meeting.
A drop back to a mile and a half and a step-up to premier handicap level made this a stiffer test for the Mullins-owned and -trained Japanese-bred.
The 7/1 chance, who made a winning debut in a Punchestown bumper in April, was always well placed in the leading quartet in a race where very few of the runners ever got involved. The race couldn’t have been more straight-forward for Crowns Major. He improved into second nearing the straight, made his way past the front-running Longbourn after straightening up and went on to defeat that rival by two lengths.
“That was marvellous and it’s great to win such a big pot with him,” said Mullins who bought the four-year-old as a foal in Japan. I thought Wesley was very good on him. He didn’t panic. It was a worry coming back in trip today but with the money on offer we had to take our chance and we’ll look at all the big staying flat handicaps through the rest of the season.”
Dazzling result
After enjoying a few close shaves over the course of the week, Gavin Cromwell got off the mark at this year’s meeting when Dazzling Darren struck at 25/1 under apprentice Robert Whearty (17) in the McDonogh Capital Investments Handicap.
The Darren Cahill-owned four-year-old was only 3lb higher than when winning at Sligo earlier in the season and he was ideally placed at the head of the main group to take advantage when the pace collapsed inside the last quarter of a mile.
At this point Whearty, who is apprenticed to Cromwell and was riding his second winner, sent his mount to the front and Dazzling Darren went on to defeat Crassus by a length and three-quarters.
Buckaroo builds on early promise
THE card began with a nice display from Joseph O’Brien’s Buckaroo who progressed from a debut third to the well-regarded Piz Badile at Killarney last month by taking the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over an extended mile for Qatar Racing Limited.
The strongly supported evens favourite responded to Declan McDonogh’s promptings to get the better of the front-running Stone Age early in the last furlong and he went on to defeat that rival by a neck.
The front pair finished half a dozen lengths clear of the remainder, an interesting pointer for their future. McDonogh was deputising for the unwell Shane Crosse.
“He can only get better, he’s a massive big horse and he’s going to make a lovely three-year-old,” declared Brendan Powell who indicated that the Beresford Stakes could be next on the winner’s agenda.
Weld’s Island
Sherkin Island provided Dermot Weld with his third winner of the week with a straightforward odds-on triumph in the Irish Independent On Saturday Maiden over an extended mile. The Ballylinch Stud-owned and -bred daughter of Fastnet Rock was returned at 8/13 to build on a pleasing debut third to Wild Dollar at the Curragh two months ago.
Colin Keane made the most of a low draw to get his mount to the front early on and the pair were largely untroubled in getting home by two and a half lengths from the 77-rated Kojin.
“She’s progressed but she’s still immature and we won’t see the best of her until next year,” declared Weld.
Nectaris dominant
Jessica Harrington also struck for the third time at Ballybrit this year when the useful Nectaris dominated the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden over seven furlongs. A two-year-old daughter of Sea The Moon, the Alpha Racing-owned Nectaris had shown up well to be placed on her first two starts and she was much the best on show here.
Shane Foley was able to control the race on the 6/4 favourite who recorded a smooth three-length success over Stormy Duchess.
FORMER joint champion apprentice Andy Slattery reached a notable landmark as he rode out his claim when Dedillon, trained by his father Andy, notched up her third win of the season in the O’Leary Insurances Handicap.
A week after coming up short in an appreciably less competitive handicap at Gowran Park, the Sean Rushe-owned five-year-old overcame a stall 13 draw to show in front from early on and the 20/1 chance stuck to her task to get home by a length and three-quarters from High Altitude who was reaching the frame for the second time at this year’s meeting. The winning trainer indicated the mare could go for a higher grade of handicap next.
After enduring a couple of near misses during the week as well as securing an eventful win on Twinkle in the stewards’ room, Seamie Heffernan picked up the Galway Shopping Centre Handicap on John Murphy’s Kaaranah (20/1 - 12/1).
An encouraging handicap debut at Killarney last month meant this geldingtook the required step forward. In the colours of his joint-breeder Donal Mac A’Bhaird. The 66-rated son of Estidhkaar was at his strongest over the last furlong as he came home half a length ahead of Black Cat Bobby, a winner here on the opening night of the meeting.
“Seamie said he’d have no problem going up in trip a couple of furlongs, he seemed to stay very well. He’s a big, raw horse so he should stay improving,” commented the trainer’s son, George
Jim Bolger sent out the winner of the nursery at Galway for the first time in 14 years as Cool And Clever made it two wins from three starts.
Owned and bred by the trainer’s brother, Patrick, this son of Vocalised won the first seven-furlong maiden of the season for two-year-olds at Roscommon in mid-May.
The 9/2 chance tackled that trip once again in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Nursery Handicap.
He was under pressure from Kevin Manning sooner than some of his rivals but responded to take the measure of Capitulation early in the straight before keeping on well to defeat Snapius by a length and a quarter. Another nursery is likely for the winner.