“IF you can train jumpers then the flat is a doddle!” quipped Noel Meade after saddling a 188/1 double with the Colin Keane-ridden pair Art Of America and Harvest Bow.
The Castletown trainer deflected much of the credit to Keane after Art Of America caused a 20/1 surprise in the www.gowran.ie Handicap. The Philip Munnelly-owned gelding was prominent throughout in this mile race but, having been sent about his business early in the straight, only just held off the strong late challenge of Centrifolia by a short-head.
“Colin said the last day he rode him he wasn’t fit and to put blinkers on him. He wants a cut in the ground and I’d say he can go a bit further. He’s not very big but he jumps very well so I’d say there is a chance he’ll jump hurdles at some stage,” said Meade.
Harvest Bow attracted plenty of support in the seven-furlong Gowran Park Racing Club Nursery with early morning quotes of 25/1 snapped up and the daughter of Intikhab was further backed on track from 16/1 into half those odds.
Mairead Cahill’s juvenile made smooth headway early in the straight and was well on top inside the final furlong for a convincing two-and-three-quarter-length verdict over Elusive Fantasy.
Meade said: “I knew when she went back on soft ground she’d be a different kettle of fish. She ran really well in Galway and then she just hated the surface in Dundalk, and it was too quick for her in Down Royal and Naas. She worked really well the other day and I was confident enough. If we get soft ground she will go again and I think she’ll get a mile.”
DOUBLE
Joe Murphy and Gary Halpin also teamed up for a double when landing both divisions of the Join Gowran Park Racing Club Handicap over seven furlongs.
Littlevix (10/1) set the ball rolling for her owner/trainer when switched off the far rail early in the straight and leading a furlong out to beat Stormy Air by half a length. “She’s tough and consistent and was due one,” said Halpin. “Her run in Roscommon was good enough to suggest she could win one of those, and Joe’s horses are coming back in form.”
The Tom Egan-owned Solomons Seal completed the 76/1 brace in division two, getting a nice run up the inner inside the final furlong to just deny Kodianne by a short-head. “It’s great to ride winners for Joe as he’s been good to me and supported me since I lost my claim. He handled the ground well but he’d probably be better on better ground,” said Halpin of the 6/1 joint-favourite.
Murphy, just denied earlier with Centrifolia, again went very close to completing a treble on the day as War Diary was just touched off by Aircraft Carrier (11/1) in another exciting finish to the one-mile, four-furlong maiden. The Aidan O’Brien-trained colt benefitted from a strong drive inside the final furlong by Seamie Heffernan, who said: “He came forward a little bit and handles both types of ground which is a plus. He’s very relaxed and going further would help him.”
MELBOURNE CUP
Il Paradiso was all the rage in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden but the 4/11 favourite was unable to peg back Millswyn. The latter was representing the Melbourne Cup-winning connections of Lloyd Williams and Joseph O’Brien, and kept on well under pressure for Shane Crosse to score by three-quarters of a length at odds of 10/1.
Leagan Gaeilge caused a 14/1 surprise on debut in the Thomastown Fillies Median Auction Maiden. Trained by Jim Bolger for his wife Jackie, the daughter of Vocalised came home strongly inside the final furlong, getting up close home to beat Ulookinatmeboy by three-quarters of a length.
Winning rider Kevin Manning said: “She’s done that well from a wide draw. She kept galloping up the straight, and should be a nice filly for the future. The penny dropped with her in the last 200 yards, and I think she will appreciate better ground.”
Neverushacon is the epitome of a dual-purpose gelding, and completed the notable treble of a hurdle, chase and flat win in the space of five months when taking the Gowran Park Golf Memberships For 2019 Handicap.
The 12/1 chance was never far off the pace under Niall McCullagh, and rallied strongly inside the final furlong to beat Causey Arch by a neck.
The seven-year-old is trained for David Reid Scott by Jessica Harrington, who commented: “He went three miles here the last day over hurdles and got very tired but he was up for that today. I’ve never seen him travel so well in a mile-and-six race. He’s some fun horse and we’ll keep going until the ground gets heavy. I’ll try to find something for him as quick as possible.”
Acting Stewards
N. P. Lambert,
J. Osborne, Ms D. Brophy, P. Coveney, H. Hynes.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
WAR DIARY (J. G. Murphy) Just denied by AIrcraft Carrier and looks well capable of going one better soon.