AN enthralling finale saw Erysimum return from almost three months off the track to come out the right side of a titanic finish to the Listed Vincent O’Brien Ruby Stakes.
In a race where the first five home were covered by no more than half a length, Erysimum (5/1) maintained the progression that she showed in the first few months of the season. Willie McCreery’s charge started the season with a rating of 73 but has improved markedly with each run and, having claimed a precious first blacktype triumph, she is now set to step up to pattern level.
Billy Lee made the running on the daughter of Arcano but she was pressed on all sides heading in the final furlong. Even 100 yards from home victory could have gone to any one of Marshall Jennings, Colour Blue, Assume and Cailin Mor, but Erysimum fought on tremendously well.
The leading quintet weren’t far off hitting the line as one, but in the bobbing finish, which necessitated a wait of several minutes for the result, Erysimum prevailed by a short-head from Marshall Jennings. Cailin Mor was the same distance back in third, as was the fourth-placed Colour Blue, and Assume was a further head off these.
“She was fourth in a Group 3 at Naas in May last time out and we brought her back with a view to starting her back here,” said McCreery. “Billy was worried about the ground for her but she’s all heart and set a good tempo up front. We’ll look at a Group 3 for her now and she loves a cut in the ground, which she should have later in the autumn. She’s the first horse I’ve had for Barouche Stud.”
Earlier McCreery and Lee struck with Valentana (4/1), who took a step forward from her recent Tipperary triumph in the Celtic Steps Handicap where she dealt with a field that included a couple of hat-trick chasing rivals.
A patient Billy Lee produced the four-year-old nearing the last furlong and Valentana picked up smartly to see off Intrepid Prince, who was looking to build on stylish wins at Galway and Naas.
“We have the key to her now, getting her settled and finishing out her races,” remarked McCreery. “She missed the kick and had to take her time at Down Royal a couple of runs back and that has been the making of her. Her owners, John and Janice Liggett, have been very patient with her and I’m delighted for them.”
The promising Triplicate had the distinction of being the only favourite on the card to oblige as the wide-margin Galway maiden winner captured the Ladbrokes Race. Aidan O’Brien’s front-running 2/5 shot was given a fright by stablemate Bravery, who loomed up ominously heading into the last couple of furlongs. Donnacha O’Brien’s mount pulled out plenty when he needed though and was nicely on top at the line.
“He was still a bit green in front and the race turned into a bit of a sprint but he has an engine. He could be a group horse,” reflected the winning jockey.
KODIAC WINNER
The evening didn’t begin at all well for favourite backers and it started with the odds-on Tang Dynasty only managing third behind Percy (9/2) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over an extended mile. Tang Dynasty was half a length in front of Percy in a Galway maiden won by Capri, but it was all change this time.
From early in the straight, the Colin Keane-ridden winner was the only threat to the front-running Drake Passage and Percy responded willingly to his rider’s promptings to force his way to the front as the line loomed.
“Roger Marley and John Cullinan had him at the breeze up sales but he didn’t sell. Roger is my man at the yearling sales and sent him to me. He’s by Kodiac, who I like, so I was happy to take a chance with him,” reflected Lyons, who trains the winner for his wife, Lynne. “Roger was spot on from the start, he said he wanted a trip and he needed every yard of it tonight.”
Half an hour later Dermot Weld’s Look Closer (11/4) bested Schubert (8/13) in the Mosscontrol.ie Maiden. The Moyglare Stud-owned winner, who was running for the first time since taking sixth in a Leopardstown maiden featuring The Gurkha’s racecourse debut, tracked Schubert for most of the race.
In the last furlong, Leigh Roche’s mount looked likely to find a way past the leader and he got on top in the closing stages to prevail by a neck.
“He’s a genuine horse and tries hard but he’s lazy and you need to travel around here so the blinkers (first time) sharpened him up. He took a heave in the straight but he ran on well when he got his second wind,” declared Roche.
An impressive last-to-first charge saw Daredevil Day (14/1) claim the Easy Clean Limited Handicap, which provided him with a reward for some honourable efforts over the course of the season. The five-year-old, whose last win came at this track in May 2014, quickened well for Gary Carroll to sweep past the pace-setting Xebec early in the last furlong before a decisive two and a half-length success in this one-mile, three furlongs contest.
“He’s always been a nice horse but it’s just taken a long time for him to come down the weights,” reflected Joe Murphy of the Irish Racing Yearbook Racing Club-owned gelding. “He’s had a back operation and a pin in his leg too and is just a very honest and genuine horse.”
On his first outing since October, Avalanche (12/1) sprang something of a surprise in the Diarmuid Cronin Electrical Apprentice Handicap where an initial field of 15 was reduced by a remarkable six non-runners.
Tom Madden got Avalanche to the front with around a furlong to run and the pair held off Trade Marked by a length and a half. The latter closed in ominously inside the last couple of furlongs but didn’t help his cause by hanging left as he looked to chase down the winner.
O’Mara, who trains the winner for his wife, Roisin, said: “The ground was a bit of a concern but he handled it. He deserved to win on his form last year (placed seven times) and he’ll keep going in similar races.’’
Acting Stewards
S. McDonogh, T. Hunt, E. Flannery, Mrs T.K. Cooper, P.D. Matthews
Horse To Follow
ST GALLEN (J.J. Murphy): This former course winner didn’t enjoy the best of runs in the handicap won by Daredevil Day in which he finished fourth. This was only his fourth run and his first in a handicap and there is definitely more to come from him.