ON an evening where Dermot Weld and Declan McDonogh held sway with a treble the returning Eziyra produced a display of customary quality and class in the Group 3 GRENKE Finance Ballyroan Stakes which left her perfectly poised for a return to the big time.
Last year’s Irish Oaks third was running for the first time since winning the Kilternan Stakes over this course and distance last September but she overcame this 11-month absence in style.
Now a four-time winner at Group 3 level, the Aga Khan-owned daughter has some top-class fillies in her sights with the upcoming Yorkshire Oaks high on her agenda.
Only four went to post for the night’s feature and McDonogh was quite content to bide his time at the rear before allowing his mount to take closer order rounding the final bend.
At this point Yucatan and The King were doing battle up front but neither could muster any response when Eziyra, who never came under strong pressure, swept by to lead early in the last furlong.
She finished with two and a half lengths to spare over fellow 9/4 joint-favourite Stellar Mass who won this race in 2016 and has been placed in the next two runnings.
“That was a pleasing performance. It was always the plan to come back either here or at Cork on Saturday and it was a very encouraging run after 11 months off the track,” said Weld.
“She’s strengthened up a lot since last year, she has multiple Group 1 entries over the coming weeks and months and she will now step up to that level.
“She’s in the Yorkshire Oaks but I’ll discuss plans with Pat Downes and His Highness about where she goes. The Qipco British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes is very much a target and there is the Breeders’ Cup too. Everything is open to her and she’s a very adaptable filly in terms of the ground.”
WELL-RELATED
The middle leg of the treble came courtesy of the regally bred Centroid in the 10-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
The Dansili half-brother to Enable was a strongly supported 4/5 favourite for his first appearance on the track and he turned in an assured display.
Centroid was going nicely off the last bend before striking for home with over a furlong to run and from this point onwards the Khalid Abdullah-owned three-year-old was in control. He finished with two lengths to spare over the staying-on Leaderboard.
“He’s still a big baby and he’s immature but he is potentially a very nice horse. He’s been slow to come to hand but I believe patience will pay dividends with him,” commented Weld.
“He would appreciate a lot more ease in the ground than he had today but it was time to run him. I’d hope he will be a stakes horse later in the year.”
Earlier, the Weld-trained Betsey Trotter (5/2) recorded her second success of the season in particularly brave style as she fended off the favourite, T For Tango, in the six-furlong Fitzers Catering Handicap.
The reliable daughter of Camacho, who carries the colours of Frank Gillespie, took over in front with over a furlong to run and showed a fine attitude inside the distance to contain the market leader.
There were a couple of occasions when T For Tango looked poised to edge ahead but an unyielding Betsey Trotter scrambled home by a head. The winner drifted right in the closing stages but a stewards’ enquiry left the placings unchanged.
“She’s a very genuine, tough filly who has been a model of consistency and she got an excellent tactical ride from Declan. We’ll consider a premier handicap for her now,” reported the Rosewell House trainer.
The betting suggest that the six-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden would fall to Ger Lyons and he duly sent out a one-two but it was the 20/1 shot Inverleigh and not the 5/4 favourite Burmese Waltz who carried the day.
However, the outcome didn’t surprise the trainer and Lyons could have a real prospect on his hands in the Antoinette Kavanagh-owned son of Excelebration.
The Gary Carroll-ridden colt only had two rivals behind him entering the last quarter of a mile, but when he switched to the outer he picked up in tremendous style to cut down Burmese Waltz and win by a length and a quarter.
In the course of his challenge the winner came across Woody Creek, which caused the latter to stumble, and this cost her all chance of getting involved as she was then heavily eased.
The stewards deemed this interference accidental and no action was taken.
“The only one we thought could beat Burmese Waltz was the winner,” observed Lyons.
“He’s as green as grass and he’s light so you might see him again this season or you might not. He’s a work in progress and will be a lovely horse going seven furlongs. It would have been very hard for Colin to get off the runner-up with the run she had last time.”
Ice Cold In Alex (100/30) has Irish Champions Weekend on his agenda after he made it two wins from his last three outings in the Grant Thornton Rated Race over seven furlongs.
The Ken Condon inmate was produced with a strong challenge in the straight by Niall McCullagh and this enabled the Middleham Park Racing Ireland-owned four-year-old to defeat Sirjack Thomas by a length.
“Seven furlongs is probably his optimum trip and most importantly the conditions of this race suited him well,” remarked Condon. “He’ll get an entry in the seven-furlong premier handicap here on Irish Champions Weekend and he’ll be put in the Bold Lad over six furlongs at the Curragh the following day as well.”
There was an extra celebration for the McCullagh family as Niall’s son Scott won the last race a Yarmouth.
More SUccess
Jessica Harrington’s impressive form continued with a decisive triumph for Persian Lion in the Manguard Plus Handicap. The 79-rated three-year-old was stepping into handicaps off three solid maiden runs and he relished every yard of this one-mile, seven-furlong trip.
The 3/1 favourite held every chance for Shane Foley inside the last quarter of a mile and he was at his strongest over the last furlong as he pulled away for a two-and-a-half-length victory over Eight Till Late.
“He’s a lovely horse who was unlucky not to win his maiden and the step up in trip suited him. He loves this ground and he’d have no trouble stepping up to two miles. He’ll definitely be staying in training next year,” stated Harrington, who trains the son of Leroidesanimaux for Anamoine Limited.
Tom Madden picked up a two-day whip ban for his efforts on Hurricane Sky, who was fifth.
The Clare Cannon-trained Innamorare (12/1) followed-up her pre-Galway success over this course and distance by landing the mile handicap under Chris Hayes.
The improving three-year-old, who has won three of her last four outings, launched a strong challenge from midfield to head Avalanche inside the distance.
The latter rallied well when headed by Innamorare but the winner had that bit in hand and she found more late on to score by a neck.
The daughter of Intense Focus is owned by the trainer’s father, Geoff.
ACTING STEWARDS:
T. Hunt, M. Cosgrave, M. Hillman, M. O’Malley, L. Walsh
HORSE TO FOLLOW:
PERFECT TAPATINO (J.P. O’Brien): He was well-backed to make a winning debut for his trainer in the handicap won by Innamorare and, after threading his way through the field on the inner, he ran a race full of promise to be beaten a length into third. It won’t be long before he is winning.