AFTER beginning her career with two distinctly promising runs in defeat, Lougher produced a nice display to account for two previous winners in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Race for trainer Richard O’Brien.
Just over two weeks after taking on the potentially top-class Cayenne Pepper at Tipperary, Lougher was dropping in grade for this one-mile race but the two-year-old daughter of Teofilo still faced a stiff assignment against several capable types.
To her credit the 11/2 chance, who carries the colours of the locally-based Fealedepower Syndicate, came through this test to deliver on her initial promise.
Robbie Colgan made the running on Lougher and he had a willing partner as she found plenty over the last quarter of a mile when the last time out winners Marchons Ensemble and Justina loomed up.
That pair couldn’t find a way past the unyielding leader who prevailed by three-quarters of a length.
Lovely ride
“She’s a lovely, straightforward filly who had two good runs and she got a lovely ride from Robbie,” reflected O’Brien.
“The last time she ran I felt she was put on her head a little by a potential Group 1 filly and looking at that today you wouldn’t be coming back in trip with her.
“I think next year she might even stay a mile and a half.”
THE ageless Master Speaker is set to return to the big time at Galway next month as he took advantage of a slip down the ratings to land a decent prize in the shape of the €26,000 Tote Handicap. This gave Adrian McGuinness, on his birthday, and owners Shamrock Thoroughbreds their second winner of the week.
The nine-year-old was back to the form that saw him begin his turf season with a third in the Lincoln as he arrived with a sweeping challenge on the outer under Chris Hayes to take charge and prevail by two and three-quarter lengths.
“He’ll go to Galway for the Ahonoora Handicap on the Sunday and he’ll probably run earlier in the week in a 60-90 rated handicap too. He’s been a super horse and this was a lovely pot to win with him,” commented McGuinness, whose charge had slipped 12lbs in the ratings over the last year.
Chris Hayes then brought up a double to make it five winners in as many days when Franklyn (11/1) bagged the 45-65 rated three-year-old Tote Handicap over 11 furlongs. Aidan Howard’s charge had shown promise behind Up Helly Aa on his penultimate run and when he became fully attuned to what was required of him here he produced a nice display to score by two and a quarter lengths.
This Peter Jones-owned son of Archipenko shapes like one that could easily be adding to his tally after just four career starts.
“I was hopeful. He’s a baby still and is raw but when Chris got stuck into him he did it well.
“He’s in Ballinrobe on Monday and Leopardstown on Thursday and it’s possible he might turn out again in one of those,” reported Howard.
Supreme week for Mullins
A MOST industrious July festival for both Willie Mullins and Colin Keane continued as the pair successfully joined forces with Shoulda Lied who became the third horse this week to carry the Supreme Horse Racing colours to victory when he landed in the two-mile, one-furlong Tote Handicap. The 56-rated 11/4 favourite took time to master the front-running Magen’s Moon but he wore her down in the closing stages to score by a length and a quarter.
Andy Slattery leads the chase behind Oisin Orr in the apprentice championship and he moved on to the 19-winner mark aboard Fozzy Stack’s Never Rains in the Tote Claiming Race over a mile. The GSR Syndicate-owned 100/30 favourite saw off Adapt To Dan to score by half a length. The winner was subsequently claimed for €7,000 by James McAuley to join Denis Hogan who saddled the second- and third-placed finishers.
Punters were dealt a blow later on the card as the odds-on Gardens Of Babylon had to settle for third behind John Oxx’s Monty’s Miracle (14/1) in the Tote Maiden over a mile and three-quarters. Ross Coakley gave the victorious Newtown Anner Stud-owned daughter of Shamardal a canny front-running ride and the pair defeated the staying-on Run For Mary by two lengths.
An excellent meeting for Willie Mullins concluded with a victory for Max Dynamite who outclassed his rivals in the Tote (Q.R.) Race to record his first victory since a similar event at Killarney’s 2017 August Festival.
The Susannah Ricci-owned nine-year-old had upwards of two stone to spare over his five rivals on official ratings which made him an overwhelming 1/7 favourite.
The high-class gelding and Patrick Mullins had no trouble stamping their authority on this race over the last couple of furlongs to score by three and three-quarter lengths.
“Hopefully he might still qualify for the amateur riders’ race back here next month and the one at Listowel,” reflected Patrick Mullins.