ON a historic day for Aidan O’Brien he also kept the home fires burning at Leopardstown when landing a double on the card including the feature race win of Flag Of Honour.
Padraig Beggy has also enjoyed a year to remember and remarkably his three successes this season have come in the Derby at Epsom and two Group 3 contests.
Flag Of Honour was sent off 2/1 favourite for TheTote.com Eyrefield Stakes and made most of the running in the nine-furlong contest.
The Galileo colt asserted in the straight and kept on strongly in the closing stages to score by a length-and-a-half from stablemate Giuseppe Garibaldi.
“I ride him out and he’s a nice colt. I thought he won very impressively with Seamie (Heffernan) at Naas. There were one or two little things at Newmarket and maybe the ground was against him,” said Beggy.
“He came out of that run well and Aidan brought him here today and I was delighted to get the ride on him.
“I’ve three winners this year and they’ve been a Group 1 and two Group 3s! It’s a big thanks to Aidan for it.
“Racing, especially in Ireland is a tough, tough game and you just take what you get. Working down in Ballydoyle, whatever comes your way you grab it. I’ll keep my head down and work away. When you get chances like this that’s what makes it work.”
Sarrocchi ended a eventful week when running out a well-backed winner of the opening Tote Irish EBF (Fillies) Maiden.
The daughter of Galileo had gone through the sales ring on the previous Tuesday for €215,000 and was supported from 10/1 in the morning into 7/2 favourite to score on her debut for Ballydoyle.
Mick Hussey produced his mount with a strong surge inside the final furlong to get up in the closing stages and beat New To Town by a length and a quarter.
“She’s a nice filly. She did it the hard way, as she was as green as grass early, but when she got going she got going well,” said Hussey.
“She’s been doing things right at home and as usual ours take a run but she got it right.
“She should be a mile plus filly next year.”
There was also a double on the card for Dermot Weld and Leigh Roche but part of that was gained in the stewards room after a controversial finish to TheTote.com Knockaire Stakes.
INTIMIDATED
Making Light just failed by a nose to peg back Larchmount Lad in the listed contest but the stewards were called into action with the winner having veered right in the closing stages.
They decided that David O’Meara’s charge intimidated the runner-up, which was enough to effect the result, and reversed the placings of the front pair.
“She’s a very consistent filly. She was beaten a short-head at Naas the other day and a nose today but she got it and we’re delighted,” said Weld.
“She won a group race here last year and this was important because she’s gone this year without winning. It was vital that she got this race.”
Weld had introduced a smart prospect earlier in the Tote Irish EBF (Colt & Geldings) Maiden in the shape of Flavius.
The Khalid Abdullah-owned colt was sent to post the even-money favourite and was produced to lead just inside the final furlong by Roche.
The son of War Front kept on well in the closing stages to post a length-and-a-half win over Conclusion in the seven-furlong contest.
“It was a good workmanlike performance and he’s a gorgeous big colt,” said Weld.
“He’s having a real serious blow there and there is lots of improvement in him. He’ll be a lovely horse for one of the Guineas trials next spring.
“He was a big late maturing horse. His dam was a good mile and a quarter filly and there is plenty of stamina in the pedigree.
“He’ll be a lovely horse for a mile or a mile and a quarter next year. He’s a horse we like an awful lot and he has potentially a big future. Considering the time of year, it’s lovely ground here and a credit to Leopardstown.”
The valuable Tote October Handicap was turned into a bit of a procession by Wonder Laish as he ran out a four and three-quarter-length winner of the €50,000 contest.
Colm O’Donoghue kicked on over a furlong out on the 11/2 shot and Charles Byrnes’ charge was soon in control as he ran out a cosy winner in the colours of Martin White.
“Niall (McCullagh) said after the last day to bring him back to a mile and a half,” said Byrnes.
“It’s unfortunate for Niall. He was offered the ride but stuck with Rashaan as he had won on him. We got a good replacement.
“They went hard and he settled today.
“He’s gassy and he doesn’t like to be disappointed. He just ran too free the last day and a mile and a half was perfect.
“I’d say he’ll go back jumping now. He won a bad maiden hurdle in Listowel.
“He’s in at Naas but he’d have to carry a penalty so I’d say we’ll go back jumping. He’ll go for a winners of one to start off with and we’ll see how far he can go.”
FIRST WIN
It was a red letter day for 16-year-old Alan Persse as he partnered his first winner aboard Damselfly in TheTote.com Irish EBF Fillies Nursery.
The 10lb claimer had to wait for a gap on the 10/1 shot but got to the front a furlong out and went on for a convincing two-length win on the Joseph O’Brien-trained daughter of Power.
“She’s a tough little filly because she’s been busy all year. That’s probably by far her best run,” said O’Brien.
“She ran very well in Naas and the better ground today suited her. She has taken her racing well.
“Alan gave her a lovely ride. It’s his first winner and I’m delighted for him. He was good value for the 10lb in fairness.
“He’s 16 years of age. He’s just from down the road and is riding out on the hill with us for a good few years. He deserved it and he didn’t panic on her.”
Another apprentice to shine on the day was Sean Davis, who partnered Beach Bar to victory in the Win Big With The Tote Handicap.
The Richard O’Brien-trained gelding came to lead a furlong out in the seven-furlong contest and stayed on well for a length and a half win over Honor Oak at odds of 8/1.
“It was his first run for Richard the last day and he just wanted to see how he was as he has a tendency to be a bit tricky,” said Davis.
“He just wanted to give him a run to see what way he’d carry on. He just got a little bit tired but today he was fit and well.
“The plan was to jump and make the running but the lads got out ahead of me and made the running. I was happy enough once I got him to relax.
“He travelled away and I was never really in doubt but when I got there I was waiting for something to come and peg me. He stayed at it well.
“He was taken down nice and early as he has a history and it’s better safe than sorry.”
The John Oxx-trained Famous Pearl may have ended her racing career on the perfect note after victory in the concluding Tote Maiden.
Declan McDonogh had a willing partner in the 6/1 shot as she held Free Ranger at bay in the closing stages for a neck success in the mile contest.
“She’s been trying for a bit but she’s had her problems,” said Oxx who trains the daughter of Way Of Light for Mrs Antoinette Tamagni-Bodmer.
“She’s had little soundness issues. She started off looking like she’d be very promising and we had some good entries for her but she just ran into trouble soundness wise.
“She’s come right in the last while and when when they’ve had some soundness issues you’re inclined to think they’ll need soft ground. We’ve run her twice recently on very heavy ground and she just couldn’t handle it. Today is not good ground, it’s soft but it’s not bottomless and I think that made a difference to her.
“It looked like it was too short for her the other day, and it probably was, but I think it was more the ground as she just struggled to get out of it.
“She couldn’t get out of the ground to get out of the trouble then.
“She ran over a mile at Cork two weeks ago and didn’t get home but she was a bit keener that day. Today the ground was better, she was more relaxed and she got home well.
“Thank godness she’s won because she has ability – she’s not a bad animal by any means. She’s smart enough if she was sound enough.
“She showed a good attitude, is genuine, ran straight and did everything right. That’s it’s now and I’d say she’ll probably be covered in the spring.”
ACTING STEWARDS
J.T. Hunt, Ms M. Cosgrave, J. Byrne, R. Dore, L. Walsh.
HORSE TO FOLLOW
GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI (A.P. O’Brien): He showed significant improvement to finish second in the Group 3 feature and should be capable of landing a maiden before long.