ROGER Charlton’s Decorated Knight further enhanced his trainer’s tremendous record with his occasional Irish raiders as he outclassed the home defence in the ICON Meld Stakes.
The Royal Hunt Cup hero Portage was an odds-on chance to keep this nine furlongs Group 3 at home, but centre stage went to Decorated Knight, who ensured that the prize went for export for the first time in 14 years. In the Derby-winning colours of Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar, the son of Galileo won at listed level earlier in the season, but this display served notice that he has a fine future at pattern level.
George Baker rode a confident race on the four-year-old, whose dam is an own-sister to Giant’s Causeway, and he was quite happy to look on from the rear as Portage cut out the running. Early in the straight Portage looked to have most of his rivals covered but he was unable to withstand Decorated Knight. The English raider quickened up stylishly to lead nearing the final furlong and drew away for a convincing two-length triumph. The Fairyhouse maiden winner Adool ran a fine race to secure third.
“It’s my first time in Leopardstown but Fran Berry gave me plenty of advice about how to ride it,” said Baker. “The quick ground helped this horse and I wanted to be just in behind the leaders, but that meant I would have been posted three wide so I took him back and rode him with confidence and he picked up really well for me. He couldn’t have done it any smoother.”
MEMORABLE
It was a night to remember for Joseph and Ana O’Brien as both enjoyed their first triumph at stakes level with the much improved Arya Tara (6/4) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Stanerra Stakes. Furthermore this success meant that Ana O’Brien was riding her first double. For her part, the Annemarie O’Brien-owned filly was making it four wins in succession. She was rated just 75 when winning a maiden at Tipperary in late May and that was followed by triumphs in the Apprentice Derby and a Roscommon handicap.
This meant that the Dylan Thomas filly’s rating of 96 made her the joint highest-rated runner in the five runner field for this one mile, six furlongs event, which was confined to fillies for the first time. The always prominent Arya Tara moved to the front nearing the last furlong and she stayed on determinedly to account for Avenante by a length.
“She’s a well-bred filly and it’s great to win a stakes with her. She’s progressed very well in handicaps and she might now step up for the Group 3 Irish St Leger Trial at the Curragh next month,” reported Joseph O’Brien.
Earlier, the well backed Intern (5/1-7/2) made a pleasing start to his career as he overcame distinct signs of inexperience in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden. David Wachman’s charge was quite green at various stages but responded well to pressure in the straight to launch a steady effort that got him past the favourite Drake Passage in the last 100 yards. At the line the Wayne Lordan-ridden Intern had a head to spare and there was a further length back to the very unlucky Right Honourable.
“He’s always shown a bit at home but he’s raw,” reflected Wayne Lordan of the Lloyd Williams-owned colt. “He raced behind the bridle and I had to squeeze him along the whole way and when he got there he rolled around. He’ll have learnt a lot from today, he’s very genuine and is potentially a nice horse.”
Aidan O’Brien picked up the other juvenile contest on the card as Sportsmanship secured the six furlongs Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. As he looked to improve on a narrow defeat at Naas earlier in the month, the evens favourite travelled powerfully under Donnacha O’Brien, and he asserted his superiority on the approach to the last furlong. Stablemate Courage Under Fire came home well inside the distance but he still finished three-parts of a length adrift.
“He has a lot of speed and wouldn’t mind staying at five or six furlongs,” observed O’Brien. “He’s pacy and would be better in a stronger run race. We might bring him to Goodwood.”
AMENDS
Just six days after enduring a head defeat at Navan, when he was odds-on to make a winning debut, the Jim Bolger-trained Seville Star (6/5) made amends in the seven furlongs maiden. Kevin Manning got the son of Lope De Vega to the front with over a furlong to run and the pair then turned this into a decidedly one-sided affair. The June Judd and Jackie Bolger-owned gelding came home with five lengths to spare over Military Hill.
“He was supposed to do that at Navan but it’s better late than never. I’ve no plans at the moment, he might be one to go abroad,” stated the trainer.
Bolger and Manning then landed the concluding 10 furlong-handicap with Mainicin (8/1), who was improving substantially on the form of her three previous runs this season. The Jackie Bolger-owned daughter of Teofilo made most of the running and kept going well in the straight to defeat Escape Paradise by one and three-quarter lengths.
“The ground made all the difference to her. She hasn’t had it all season,” said Bolger.
Making an ever quicker return to action than Seville Star was Three Majors (7/1) who took the ICON Apprentice Handicap having finished fifth to Rosin Box at Killarney the previous evening. The first leg of Ana O’Brien’s double, this three-year-old looked to have this race sewn-up when coming sweeping to the front a furlong out. At the line though, Three Majors had just a head to spare over the strong-finishing Sufoof. The successful owners are the Kimberley Racing Syndicate, whose members include Dave Keena, Tom Mulryan and sports reporter Denis Kirwan. The latter named the winner after triple major winner Padraig Harrington.
“He’s a little bit of a monkey but he has plenty of ability. This is his trip and he got a great ride from Ana,” observed Deegan. “He jumps well and might now go for the first three-year-old hurdle of the season at Roscommon.”
ACTING STEWARDS
T. Hunt, T.K. Cooper, J. Murphy, J. McStay, H. Hynes
HORSE TO FOLLOW
RIGHT HONOURABLE (D.K. Weld): This son of Famous Name was an unfortunate loser in the median auction maiden won by Intern. He may have won had he got a run between horses in the final furlong, but compensation should not be long in coming his way
Careless riding
DYLAN Hogan and Denis Linehan were both give one day careless riding bans in the apprentice handicap, and Daniel Redmond picked up a day’s suspension in the same race for weighing in 1.6lbs heavy on Allinone.