DERMOT Weld’s Dubai Destination gelding Days Without End, whose future lies over jumps Stateside, was a fitting winner of the older horses’ maiden at Gowran Park, the final event on a mundane eight-race programme on Wednesday evening.
Recent Tramore bumper scorer Backsheesh was the one for money here on her flat debut but she weakened into sixth place behind the eventual 2/1 winner who credited his American owner, Calvin Ryan, with his first success for the Curragh trainer.
However, Days Without End’s time with the trainer is due to come to an end, with Weld revealing: “He’ll be going to America later in the year to go American National Hunt racing on the east coast but I’ll give him another run here first and try and win a nice handicap with him.
“He’s tough and he’s consistent and he deserved it after running a good race in Galway where he was just touched off. I thought he’d take a bit of beating here.”
Aidan O’Brien was responsible for the first two home in the Irish EBF Supporting Irish Champions Weekend Maiden but they did not finish in the order most punters would have expected.
Seamie Heffernan’s mount Western Australia, a 14/1 shot as he had been on his two previous starts, led from start to finish and only had to be kept up to his work to quicken away from the favourite South Pacific by two and three-quarter lengths.
The chesnut juvenile, who carries the purple and white silks of Derrick Smith and his Coolmore partners Sue Magnier and Michael Tabor, was continuing the good start his sire Australia has made at stud, and Heffernan is a fan: “It’s not a surprise that they’re improving from run to run and he could be a nice type. You’d like the Australias, and I like him as a stallion.”
CONVINCING
Stablemate Prepare For Battle didn’t have to look for any back-up when doubling up for O’Brien with a convincing six-and-a-half-length display from the front in the Thomastown Maiden. The 4/9 favourite was striking at the third attempt for his joint-owners Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith and the trainer’s son Donnacha commented: “The step-up in trip suited him and we kept it uncomplicated.
“He had a look in front but did it nicely and he’ll step up in class now. There might not be too many winners’ races left, so he might have to go into a group race.”
Johnny Murtagh’s rich vein of form continued thanks to Flor Ryan’s blinkered homebred colt Lethal Power who turned out fresh as paint after his Irish Cambridgeshire exertions to justify 7/4 favouritism under Shane Foley in the one-mile, one and a half-furlong handicap by one and a quarter lengths at Impactful’s expense.
“It was a little bit of a risk, going four days after his last run,” the Curragh handler admitted. “But the lads said he was in great form at home and eating up. Shane said he’s still a big baby and still learning all the time. I put blinkers on him only because it’s a sharp track and, if he wasn’t away and didn’t travel, he might be in a bad place.
“He ran a great race the other day in the Cambridgeshire and was entitled to win that. We were just hoping he’d go up a few pounds in the handicap to maybe get into one of those big races on Champions Weekend, if it’s not too soon.
SWISHING TAIL
For True To Herself, Willie McCreery’s representative in the seven-furlong handicap, it was a case of a first time hood doing the trick. She and Karannelle had the race to themselves at the race’s finale and, despite swishing her tail on a couple of occasions, the 4/1 shot nailed it by a short-head in the hands of Billy Lee.
The grey Clodovil filly is owned and was bred by Tom McDonald whose son Brian is one of the best footballers Laois has produced. McCreery observed: “They weren’t in Listowel when she won but they’re both here today and they’re lovely people. She loved the ground and I loved the way the race worked out. She was just a bit keen the last day but Billy got her nice and settled and I just wanted to get her back on track and get a bit of blacktype after that. We might have to travel a bit with her.”
Ger Lyons and Colin Keane took the Gowran Park Fillies Claiming Race with Sean Jones’ 9/2 chance Zalzar who held the late effort of market leader Innamorare by three-quarters of a length. The trainer remarked: “I was hoping she’d produce the same sort of run as in Bellewstown and she’s good, tough and genuine.
“Claimers have been good to us this year and, if they’re not claimed on the day, they’re claimed at home. I think they’re a good idea and we could do with plenty more of them. They’re starting to be supported and people are getting the hang of them.”
There were no claims for the winner, but the runner-up was claimed by Gavin Cromwell for €17,000.
Aunty Audrey, with Ben Coen in the saddle, came out best in division one of the Kilkenny 45-65 Apprentice Handicap by one and three-quarter lengths from Chaparral Dream, prompting the 11/2 joint-favourite’s trainer Pat Flynn to say: “I thought she’d run well today but I thought she might have needed it a bit.”
Flynn trains the daughter of Zoffany for Belfast native Simon Girvan, who works overseas. He reflected: “We decided to ride her positively today and it worked out well. We thought she was a nice filly early on but my horses were off and now they’re coming back again. She’ll win another one or two.”
The Anthony McCann-trained Pushaq (7/1) won his first race on the turf when leading from start to finish under Robbie Downey to claim the second division. His trainer exclaimed: “He’s finally done it on grass and in Ireland! We always thought a lot of him and he’s always been working well enough to show a performance like that.
“He turned his whole form around after I gave him a run over hurdles. He has plenty of size and scope, so I might give him another spin over hurdles but he’s probably an all-weather horse.”
Coen ban
BEN Coen picked up a two-day careless riding ban in the second division of the apprentice handicap.
Acting Stewards
N.B. Wachman, A.J. Molloy, D.P. Hickey, V. Connolly, P.D. Matthews.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
GUSTAVUS WESTON
(J.G. Murphy): Slowly away, he got going all too late on his debut in the two-year-old maiden but will have learnt plenty from the experience.