THE best was saved until last on this card as the classy Insayshable returned from a mid-season break in fine fettle to register a straightforward triumph in the extended nine-furlong conditions race.
On his first outing since finishing a close-up fourth in the Derrinstown Derby Trial, the Homer Scott-owned three-year-old made the running for Colin Keane and his connections never had a moment’s worry. Insayshable (8/13) began to wind things up early in the straight and from over a furlong out he had this race under control. At the line he had two lengths to spare over the 98-rated Aneen and there is surely a good prize to be won with him before the end of the season.
“That was good. He came back from the Derrinstown covered in ringworm so we just had to let him come in his own time,” said Ger Lyons. “We’ll try an plot a steady course with him and be kind to him with a view to thinking big next year.”
Earlier, Lyons and Keane struck with Always Dreaming (13/8) as she followed-up her victory at Killarney on Wednesday in the first division of the 45-65 rated handicap over seven furlongs. The Sean Jones-owned filly, who crept into the race as a first reserve, was given a stone for her efforts at Killarney but had just a 6lb penalty to shoulder here. After getting to the front with over a furlong to run Always Dreaming kept on determinedly to defeat Breezolini by a neck.
“I must thank John Murphy for letting me know this morning that his horse was out and it’s great to get another with her as she won’t be able to run in this bracket again,” declared Lyons. “She’s pure honest and has had a couple of quick runs now so we’ll freshen her up now.”
Andy Oliver and Billy Lee also ended the day with doubles and the pair combined with Collision Course in the extended nine-furlong handicap. The grey was rated 96 at one stage last season but had dropped to a mark of 72 for this and was a well-backed 9/2 shot to register the first success of his career. The Oliver-owned runner and Storm Ranger dominated the last furlong and a half of this contest before Collision Course, whose rider lost his whip over a furlong from home, prevailed by a head.
“He’s not winning before time. He likes an ease in the ground and got a great ride from Billy and we might look towards Galway next,” reported Oliver.
The first leg of Lee’s brace came when Willie McCreery’s Outside Inside (12/1) made good progress from her first two efforts to claim a lucrative success in the Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Fillies Maiden. The winning purse coupled with a Plus 10 bonus meant that the filly netted around €25,000 for her efforts and this success bodes well for her prospects through the second half of the season. The Garrett Freyne-owned daughter of Holy Roman Emperor overcame a wide draw to lead over a furlong from home and she kept on nicely to deny the newcomer and 11/10 favourite Ball Girl. The latter’s jockey Keanen Steyn was given a one-day whip ban.
“I always though she was a nice filly but it’s just taken her a couple of runs to learn her job,” reflected the trainer. “The last day the ground was a bit firm for her and she had a bad draw but she loved the beautiful ground today. She’ll probably end up in the final of this series later in the year and it’s great for Garrett and Anna (Freyne) as that’s my first winner for them this year.”
Meanwhile Andy Oliver’s double began when the strapping Big Ego sprang something of a surprise in the mile and a half three-year-old handicap. The Helmet colt needed to improve on his recent efforts but he had come down the weights since he first moved into handicaps and also had first time cheekpieces to aid his cause. Leigh Roche made the running on the 14/1 shot who rallied splendidly when headed by Less Of That approaching the last furlong. Big Ego got back on top in the closing stages to defeat Circling Moon by half a length.
“He’s a lovely, big horse and has just been a bit backward,” reported Oliver. “He’s a staying type so we decided to be positive on him and Leigh gave him a great ride. We’ll look at handicaps from a mile and a half up to two miles.”
THIRD TIME LUCKY
After starting her career with two placed efforts, Jessica Harrington’s Two For Tea (6/4) made all the running under Colm O’Donoghue to secure the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over an extended nine furlongs.
The Mount Nelson filly, who hails from a superb Niarchos family, drifted left under pressure with over a furlong to run. She was always doing enough to succeed through and she saw off Dream Sleep by three-parts of a length.
“She deserved it after two good runs. I don’t know where she will go next but I do think that she could improve a good bit from three to four,” declared Harrington, who trains the filly for Juliet Cooper.
Johnny Levins has supplied some well-backed winners in recent weeks and sent out another as Eluthera (8/1-9/2 favourite) bagged the second divide of the 45-65 rated seven-furlong handicap.
The Rory Browne-owned gelding had dropped 21lbs in the weights since arriving in Ireland and left his winter form at Dundalk well behind on his first outing since February. Donagh O’Connor’s mount didn’t enjoy the clearest of runs inside the last couple of furlongs but pounced on the line to edge out Busy Bush.
“He got a fantastic ride from Donagh. He has been running at Dundalk but I’m sure he enjoys the surface there and he loved today’s ground,” reported Levins.
After losing his way somewhat following a victory at Dundalk last September the Johnny Feane-trained Park Row (8/1) came back to form in the apprentice riders’ handicap over a mile and a half.
The Gary Halpin-ridden gelding had to bide his time in behind the leaders in the straight as he waited for a gap to appear and when he got an opening against the far rail he came through to lead entering the last furlong. He went on to defeat the front-running top-weight In Our Blood by two lengths.
“He’d come back to a mark that allowed him to be competitive and he does go well fresh,” reported Feane, whose charge hadn’t run since April. “I’m not sure where he goes next but he does jump hurdles very well.”
ACTING STEWARDS
M.C. Hickey, N. McCaffrey, D. Nagle, P. McCartan, P.D. Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW
CAMINO SONG (W. McCreery): This Kodiac filly posted a pleasing effort on her debut to take fourth in the maiden won by her stablemate, Outside Inside. She finished nicely from off the pace and can improve considerably off this run.