THE talented Elegant Pose stayed unbeaten with a smooth performance in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Race which enabled Ger Lyons and Colin Keane to end the evening with a double.
This Anamoine Limited-owned daughter of Elusive Pimpernel looked a good prospect when making a winning debut in a Curragh maiden just under two months ago.
The well-backed 4/6 favourite picked up nicely as the runners entered the last quarter of a mile in this extended nine-furlong contest. Elegant Pose soon had the measure of the recent Down Royal scorer Gustavus Vassa and she went to the line nicely to defeat him by one and three-quarter lengths.
“She was still a bit clueless there and she would have needed the run too as she’s had a bit of time off since her first run,” declared Lyons. “I hope that she will be a stakes filly next year and we are thinking in terms of her four-year-old career so she may not do too much more this summer. I’ll see how she comes out of this and speak to Patrick (Cooper, owner’s racing manager) before deciding what we’ll do next.”
Masucci provided Lyons and Keane with their opening winner in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden over seven furlongs. The Sean Jones-owned juvenile was looking to build on a pleasing debut third to Band Of Outlaws at Limerick last month and did so in straight forward fashion.
The 5/4 favourite led early in the straight and soon held a useful advantage which he maintained to the line to defeat Iron Blue by two and a quarter lengths.
Donnacha O’Brien, who rode the unplaced Spirit Power, was given a two-day careless riding ban after the stewards looked into an incident in the early stages of this race.
“He’s a nice horse with a future and the further he goes the better he will be. He’s still raw and green and there’s more improvement in him. He will go for a winners’ race next,” declared Lyons.
MANNING DOUBLE
Kevin Manning also ended the card with a double which was completed by the 76-rated Pearl Of The West (5/2) who turned over the odds-on Frima in the mile and a half fillies’ maiden. The front-runner looked to be in trouble when Frima moved ahead with over a furlong to run but she fought on tenaciously and got back on top inside the distance to succeed by a length.
“It’s nice for her to get her head in front after Limerick where she was very unfortunate (finished a close and unlucky third to Lovemenot),” stated Pat Fahy, who trains the winner for Martin Cullinane. “She stays well and she’s appreciated moving up in trip. She will get an entry in the Group 3 Give Thanks Stakes at Cork next month.”
The Manning brace began courtesy of Jim Bolger’s Level Of Intensity (7/1), who bagged the three-year-old handicap over an extended nine furlongs following some solid runs since moving out of maiden company. The Jackie Bolger-owned runner took charge of this race inside the last quarter of a mile before a two and a half-length victory over Less Of That.
“He’s in the July Sale but could run again before that and he’ll have another day be it for me or someone else. He’s 16.2hh and would make a nice hurdler,” remarked Bolger.
TYLICKI WINNER
It was an evening to cherish for Madeleine Tylicki as Fascinating Lady provided her with her first winner on the flat in the three-year-old seven-furlong handicap. The Noel Harten-owned and Billy Lee-ridden filly was the 5/1 favourite to improve on her second to Old Time Waltz at Naas last month and she put herself in with every chance entering the last furlong.
Fascinating Lady drifted left out to her left in the closing stages and this looked as though it might cost her as Nothing To Lose finished strongly in the middle of the track. However, the result wasn’t at all as tight as initial impressions suggested as Fascinating Lady finished with half a length to spare.
“She’s a lovely filly and very straightforward and we have her two-year-old full brother (Sirjack Thomas) who ran a nice race at the Curragh on Sunday,” reported the trainer. “I’m delighted for her owner, Noel, as these horses mean a lot to him.”
Hasselnott, who was picked up for €12,000 in a Dundalk claimer in the spring, provided his connections with an immediate dividend when landing something of a gamble in the 45-70 rated handicap over a mile. The Johnny Levins inmate was backed from 14/1 into 8/1 on track and was given a confident ride from off the pace by Donagh O’Connor.
Off a 10lb lower mark than the one he first started out in handicaps with, the four-year-old struck the front for a length and a half victory over Mountain Fox.
“We’ve loved him since he first came into the yard, he’s a lovely horse and his work had been good,” reported Levins. “I’m delighted for his owner David Spratt as he’s put plenty of faith in me and I’m glad to be able to repay him. He got a great ride from Donagh.”
Set To Fire (12/1) came into the 45-65 rated handicap as a 22-race maiden but she got off the mark with a last to first charge under Sean Davis. The Johnny Feane rumnner, who had dropped to a career low mark of 45, finished out strongly to collar the recent Tipperary scorer Storm Ranger and prevail by one and three-quarter lengths. Set To Fire carries the colours of Longford Arms Hotel owner Orlagh Reynolds.
ACTING STEWARDS
N.P. Lambert, L. McFerran, A. Byrne, M.C. Hickey, S. Quinn
Horse To Follow
EIRE ROCK (J.A. Stack): This son of Most Improved showed up well on his debut to take third in the maiden won by Masucci. He looked quite green and should improve plenty for this initial run.