ORDER Of St George landed the Seamus & Rosemary McGrath Memorial Saval Beg Stakes for the second successive year and set himself up nicely for a repeat win in the Ascot Gold Cup.
This was a perfect tonic for the Aidan O’Brien-trained stayer, beaten on his previous four starts including when reappearing in the Coolmore Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan, as he readily justified 4/11 favouritism in this listed event.
Ryan Moore sent the son of Galileo, in the Michael Tabor colours, to the front over a furlong out and he kept on strongly to beat Twilight Payment by two and a quarter lengths, with the front-running Motherland nearly four lengths further back in third.
“You would have to be delighted with that, and he couldn’t really have done any more,” said O’Brien before adding, “Ryan said he was fine on the ground (officially good-to-firm, good in places). He handles soft ground but the ground here is beautiful, and when he goes up in trip they will be going that bit easier. Obviously if everything is well we will look at Ascot next, and he could follow a similar path to last year.”
O’Brien and Moore were completing a double having earlier landed the Cliff At Lyons Maiden with Auckland. The well-backed 5/4 favourite was opening his account at the fifth attempt, and led a furlong out to beat promising newcomer Sin Sin by half a length.
“He was very slow to learn and we were trying to get him to relax and do things right. The last day at Killarney was really the first time he relaxed and raced properly. Hopefully he’s on an upward curve now. Nice ground suits him well, and Ryan felt the mile suited him. I think he might get a mile and a quarter in time, and he’ll probably go back for a handicap next,” said the master of Ballydoyle.
Camelback confirmed the promise of his debut third earlier in the month when the 7/4 favourite got up close home under Colin Keane to deny New To Town by a head in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
Ger Lyons trains the juvenile for Mark Breen, an Irish/American living in Arizona, but confessed he was very worried beforehand by the colt’s behaviour.
“He walked around like a lamb here the last day, and we thought it would take a good one to beat him over seven (furlongs). But he came into the parade ring after being tacked up and shouted and roared the place down. He also ran very free to the start which is not him.”
Lyons added: “He was just too fresh and bold, and he’s a big, strong colt. It was a good performance from stall 12. We can’t treat him with kid gloves now and will have to treat him like a man and get stuck into him. He can only improve and the further he goes the better he’ll be.”
Gavin Cromwell has the Ulster Oaks at Down Royal in mind for Pandagreen after the Casamento filly took the 10-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap.
The 9/4 favourite was wearing first-time cheek-pieces and led over a furlong out for Wayne Lordan to beat top-weight The Tulip by two lengths.
“She’s done it well. She’s a huge filly and this is a lovely big galloping track that suits her well. She also won here last year. I’m not sure if the track will suit her as well but she may go for the Ulster Oaks,” said Cromwell, who trains her for Alymer Stud Limited.
Wingingit, trained by Noel Meade for Mairead Cahill, appreciated the step up to a mile and a half when following up a previous Navan win in the Leopardstown Handicap.
Shane Foley brought the 5/2 favourite through with a steady run in the straight to beat Grey Waters by a convincing length and three-quarters.
“There is a three-year-old handicap worth €50,000 at Navan (on June 3rd) but I was worried that she would not get into it. She was very buzzy but is so relaxed and laid-back now. She is very clear winded and is so easy to train. She did only one piece of fast work since her last run,” said Meade.
Richard O’Brien saddled his first turf winner when sending out well-backed 6/1 chance Khabaray to defy top-weight in the Breast Cancer Ireland Handicap. Billy Lee made his challenge between horses inside the final furlong to beat Rose Anjou by three-quarters of a length.
Ballingarry-based O’Brien said: “He actually ran very well the last day at Dundalk as he completely missed the break. I always thought he could do something like that, and Billy said he never travelled like that with him prior to tonight.
“I haven’t really looked beyond tonight but hopefully there is something for him back here in two or three weeks’ time. I’ve had a few winners at Dundalk but that’s my first turf winner.”
The South East Racing Club were out in force to cheer home St Lawrence Gap in the Spirit Motor Group Apprentice Handicap. On what proved a good evening for punters, the well-supported 7/1 chance came through a group of horses for Ross Coakley to beat Ligeti by half a length.
Winning trainer Eoin Doyle said: “He’s a dual-purpose horse and I’m delighted for the syndicate to come up here to Leopardstown and win a nice race. They are all from around my area in Mooncoin, and really enjoy it. Hopefully he will have that ground now for the summer, and he could win a nice race over hurdles.
ACTING STEWARDS
T. Hunt, Mrs M. M O’Connor, J. Martin-Smith, T. Breen, L Walsh.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
NEW TO TOWN (J.S. Bolger) He did everything right on his debut when just collared close home by favourite Camelback. Looks sure to go one better soon.