AN evening that tends to produce its share of classic clues was one to savour for Aidan O’Brien who ran riot with a four-timer for the Coolmore partners which was headed by the potentially top-class duo of The Pentagon and Happily who both bagged Group 3 triumphs.
As he looked to build on his recent tour de force at the Curragh, the current 2018 Derby favourite The Pentagon stepped up in grade for the JRA Tyros Stakes, which went to Churchill 12 months ago. The Pentagon was pushed along by Ryan Moore off the last turn to get on terms with his front-running stablemate Berkeley Square and Theobald.
It did take him a little while to subdue that pair and he still looked green under pressure but his last furlong was his strongest by far. The 4/11 favourite surged clear in the closing stages of this seven-furlong contest to score by one and three-quarter lengths from Theobald, with Would Be King back in third. The portents for the winner could hardly be better with eight of the last 11 Tyros winners having gone on to strike at the highest level.
“He learnt a lot today. Ryan felt that he was very raw and that it was only after the line that he straightened up and got going,” said O’Brien, who was winning the race for the fourth year in succession. “He’s a middle-distance horse but isn’t short of pace and he’d like fast ground. We’ll look at the Futurity Stakes now.”
Earlier, Happily further bolstered her trainer’s impressive array of talent in the fillies’ division as she dominated the Jockey Club Of Turkey Silver Flash Stakes. A Derby weekend maiden triumph saw the sister to Gleneagles head the market at 8/11 and she laid down a formidable market to stablemates Clemmie and September.
Ryan Moore moved Happily into a challenging position early in the straight and, over the last furlong and a quarter, the pair powered clear. Happily crossed the line with some five lengths to spare over Shalailah whom she had also defeated at the Curragh last time.
“She came forward lovely from the Curragh and Ryan was very happy with her,” declared the Ballydoyle trainer. “The Debutante would look the next step before the Moyglare.”
Away from the night’s pattern races, O’Brien also took the wraps of an exciting prospect in Delano Roosevelt (14/1) who made a successful debut in the Frank Conroy Irish EBF Maiden over a mile. This son of Galileo and the classic-winning Again had plenty to do under Wayne Lordan turning for home and he looked decidedly green at various stages.
However, despite never coming under strong pressure, he ran on in very taking fashion to nail his odds-on stablemate Coat Of Arms on the line.
“He’s a lovely big horse and galloped home very well there,” stated the trainer. “He’ll have to head straight into a stakes race now and he’s obviously a horse with a big engine.”
DEADLY LORDAN
Wayne Lordan then made it a double as Magwadiri (12/1) came from out of the clouds to bag the three-year-old 45-75 handicap over a mile. A wide draw meant that Paul Deegan’s charge had to take his time and he had most of the field to pass turning for home but he then launched a sustained charge that enabled him to pip Cloudy Miss in the final yards.
“Wayne was deadly on him and that’s the way he has to be ridden, we’ve tried being more positive on him and he doesn’t like it. We might take him to Galway next,” reported Deegan of the David Walker-owned gelding.
The Ballydoyle four-timer was completed by Belgravia in the four-runner Horse Racing Organisation Of Greece S.A. Race over a mile and a half. The resilient front-runner Clongowes looked as if he might tough it out in the straight and he came back at Belgravia (9/4) when that runner moved past nearing the last furlong. However, Donnacha O’Brien’s mount was just too strong and prevailed by a neck.
“He’s been running over a mile and six but that stretches him,” observed O’Brien. “He’s lazy so you think he’ll get further but a mile and a quarter or a mile and a half is his trip. Donnacha gave him a peach.”
MANNING
Kevin Manning made up for his narrow defeat on Clongowes as Temasek Star (7/1) dug deep to land the SOREC Morocco Handicap over a mile and seven furlongs. The Rita Shah-owned runner led over a furlong from home and kept pulling out more to see off the effort of Emily Square by a head.
“It’s great to get him over the line for Rita,” exclaimed a delighted Anthony McCann. “He was a cheap horse (€5,000) and from 11 starts he’s won twice and never been out of the first five in 11 runs. He might go on a break now.”
The card began with something of a curiosity in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Claiming race which was the first race of its kind for two-year-olds in Ireland this season. Victory went to Island Affair who got up in the final stride of this seven-furlong contest which meant that, for the second time this week, a desperately tight finish went the way of Adrian McGuinness.
For much of the straight the favourite Ballot Box looked to be in control but she didn’t help her cause by drifting somewhat right in the closing stages. This gave her rivals some hope and, while Brian’s Bride and Muizenberg Rock threatened, it was the Rory Cleary-ridden Island Affair who prevailed, with her steady charge against the far rail getting her home by a head. The winner is owned by Gary Devlin and the trainer’s wife, Hazel.
“She cost €5,500 as a yearling so she’s paid for herself now. Rory dropped her out to settle and it’s worked out well,” observed McGuinness. “If she’s not sold, she will go for a nursery in a couple of weeks. I think these races are a great idea and they give the likes of this filly a chance.”
Nelson enquiry
A RUNNING and riding enquiry into the Aidan O’Brien-trained and Seamie Heffernan-ridden Nelson, who was sixth in the Delano Roosevelt race, resulted in the stewards noting the explanations of both the trainer and jockey.
ACTING STEWARDS
T. Hunt, C.C. Cunningham, J. Martin-Smith, T.L. Crawford, P.D. Matthews
Horse To Follow
DRAPERS GUILD (J.P. O’Brien): He produced his best effort from three starts when taking fourth in the maiden won by Delano Roosevelt and a first success could be imminent.