MAKING Light certainly lived up to her name as the only filly in the line-up made a seamless transition to pattern company in the Group 3 Killavullan Stakes on an afternoon that offered plenty of encouragment for 2017 for both Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen.

The last group race of the domestic season brought together several interesting maiden winners and among these was Making Light, who annihilated her opponents on testing ground at Limerick at the start of the month. This looked an altogether more difficult assignment for the daughter of Tamayuz but she took the switch to this higher grade in her stride.

The Moyglare Stud-owned 3/1 joint favourite tracked the pace setting duo of Taj Mahal and Pipes Of Peace from an early stage and then Smullen moved her up to challenge that pair early in the straight. Early in the last furlong Making Light forged on and she stuck to her task well to defeat Spirit Of Valor by a length.

“I won this race with another filly, Big Break, a few years ago and I thought that it would suit this filly well,” said Weld. “She quickened well and got an excellent ride from Pat. She won her maiden impressively and backed that up here. We’ll now look at bringing her back for a 1000 Guineas trial here next April.”

CONSPICUOUS

Earlier, Weld took the wraps off a cracking prospect in Titus (8/1) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Maiden. This Khalid Abdullah-owned son of Dansili was conspicuous by the ease with which he travelled through the race and nothing was going better as the leaders filed into the straight. Titus made his way to the front with around a furlong to run and the line arrived in time for him to see off the strong finishing newcomer Venice Beach by half a length.

“He’s a lovely, big colt who put in in a couple of nice pieces of work at home and I thought that he would run a nice race,” declared Weld. “He’s a horse with a lot of potential and will appear next in a classic trial in late April or early May. What distance he’ll want I’m not sure but he has plenty of pace and will always appreciate good ground.

The admirably consistent Flying Fairies (11/1) ended a season of understated but relentless progress on a high as she claimed the Listed Trigo Stakes for Joe Murphy and Gary Carroll. This 10-furlong event witnessed the return to action of the long absent Zawraq and he posted a creditable effort in second, but centre stage belonged to Flying Fairies. Fresh from a good third in the Garnet Stakes the previous weekend, the Geraldine Magnier-owned daughter of Holy Roman Emperor seized control of this race with over a furlong to run. At the line, Flying Fairies, who has reached the frame on all 10 of her starts this season, had three and a quarter lengths to spare over the odds-on favourite.

“We felt after her run over a mile at Naas last weekend that this trip would suit,” reported Joe Murphy. “To be honest, we were hoping to be placed but she’s won well. She’s entered in the Tattersalls December Mares Sale so we’ve to decide whether she goes there or else stays in training.”

The card began with a display of some quality from David Wachman’s White Satin Dancer who put her rivals to the sword in some style in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden. On her debut over two months previously, the daughter of Oasis Dream finished third to the subsequent dual Group 1 second Hydrangea and she more than delivered on that initial promise.

The 4/1 chance was always well placed and looked to have the duelling leaders Key To My Heart and Xenobia covered from early in the straight. When she was asked to assert by Wayne Lordan inside the last quarter of a mile the grey quickened smartly to come almost five lengths clear of Xenobia.

“She’s a filly we always liked,” commented Lordan. “She had a nice first run and has done very well as a result of a break after that run. She travelled well and picked up well and she’s a filly with a very nice future.”

LAST RUN

Catch A Wave made his last start for Kevin Prendergast a winning one in the mile nursery, which provided the Approve gelding with his second victory of the season. The 11/1 chance, who will come under the hammer at the Goffs UK Horses In Training Sale on Tuesday, was sent into the lead by Gary Halpin at an early stage and he slipped into a decent lead early in the straight with the result that his rivals were never able to land a telling blow. At the line the On Taget Too Syndicate-owned gelding had one and three-quarter lengths to spare over the top-weight Perfect Storm.

“He’s going to the sales now. He’s a grand, honest horse and he won his maiden making the running so we said that we’d ride him the same way,” declared Prendergast.

A back-to-form Beau Satchel sprang a 16/1 surprise in the mile handicap to record the seventh victory of his career. The six-year-old, who has won at the last three Galway Festivals, was ridden by Oisin Orr and he was produced with a sustained charge that enabled him to get the better of Jacobs Well inside the last furlong. The winner carries the colours of the Total Recall Racing Club, who have been stalwarts of the Adrian McGuinness yard for a number of years.

“He doesn’t like very heavy ground (was unplaced on heavy ground earlier in the month) but the ground was nice for him today and we let him take his chance as it was the end of the season,” reported McGuinness. “We’ll aim towards Galway next year to try and make it four in a row.”

The card concluded with a 33/1 shock as bottom weight Carraigin Aonair notched up her first success in the mile and a half handicap. As she looked to build on a creditable third to Tudor City at Limerick, the Niall McCullagh-ridden four-year-old moved into second early in the straight and wore down Mydor late on to score by half a length.

“It’s been a long time coming. She stuck at it well and the light weight suited her. She has run over hurdles and does seem to handle tougher conditions so she could go back hurdling for the winter,” reported John Murphy, who trains the filly for her breeder Donal Mac A’Bhaird.

ACTING STEWARDS

M. O’Donnell, P. Reynolds, J. Byrne, S. Barrett, P.W. Murtagh

HORSE TO FOLLOW

WORLD TAX WAR (Mrs J. Harrington): This son of Acclamation ran with considerable credit on his debut to take fourth in the maiden won by Titus. He was beaten by just two lengths and shouldn’t have any trouble winning a maiden, be it later this year or in 2017.

Disappointing

HOLISTIC Approach was found to be coughing following his disappointing showing in the Killavullan Stakes.

Corinthian Challenge

SHEIKH Fahad Al Thani took centre stage in the final leg of the Corinthian Challenge Charity Race Series as he partnered Gordon Elliott’s Labaik to an overwhelming success. Sheikh Fahad sent his partner to the front at an early stage and the pair held an unassailable lead from before the straight, eventually coming home some 14 lengths ahead of the Sally Ann Grassick-ridden Jack Blue. Crocodile Shoes secured minor honours under Jamie Morris.

“That was a great buzz,” declared the winning rider. “Once he jumped off he was fine and I wanted to sit handy but when there was no pace I let him stride on. It’s my first win in Ireland and means so much to win here, particularly over the Champion Stakes course.”

The overall winning rider in the three-leg series, which was determined on a points based system, was Alice Kavanagh. She won the second Corinthian Challenge Race at the Curragh on Oaks weekend and her mount from that race, Vivat Rex, took fourth on this occasion.