SHE may have been competing from 5lb out of the handicap but that did not stop Famous Milly from giving Gavin Cromwell his second premier handicap triumph of the season in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Premier Nursery Handicap.
A daughter of Famous Name, who excelled on slow ground, this 16/1 chance coped well with the testing conditions to turn in much her best effort to date in this €50,000 pot.
Rory Cleary took his time from a wide draw and kept Famous Milly towards the rear before unleashing her with a steady challenge in the straight.
Famous Milly still had work to do from fourth with over a furlong to run but she was closing in all the time and, in the final yards, the Nigel Kirkwood-owned filly struck the front to deny Youarewonder by a neck. There was some late drama in this contest as Youarewonder came across Ontheiflist, causing that one to stumble badly, and the former’s rider Leigh Roche picked up a two-day careless riding ban from this incident.
“I did think that she’d be good enough to win a maiden and the handicapper had been very fair to her so we took a chance running from out of the handicap,” said Cromwell. “If she ran well without winning we always had the option of going back for a maiden. I’ll talk to the owners about whether she runs again this season. She might only run once more and, if she does, it could be in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Auction Race at Naas next month. She’ll make a nice middle distance type next year.”
Nannys Well belied offical ratings to land something of a gamble in the fillies maiden over a mile. The four-year-old, who is among three horses under the care of Castlecomer-based Pat Murphy, lined up with a rating of 49 but was backed from as big as 28/1 in the morning into a starting price of 7/1.
Following two placed runs in handicaps, Nannys Well helped to force the pace for Ross Coakley and, in the closing stages, she fended off the attentions of the 75-rated Hibiscus by a neck. The front pair finished some 10 lengths clear of the remainder.
“We thought that she would have a chance on the ground, which is why we brought her back for a maiden,” commented Murphy of the Murmur Partnership-owned filly.
“We bred her ourselves and and it’s been a long road for her. We had a handicap at Gowran on Sunday in mind for her but she needed to go up in the weights to get into it, which is why she came here.”
The card ended with another well-backed winner as Jennys Day (8/1-11/2) picked up the maiden hurdle for Michael Winters and Brian Hayes. The John Draddy-owned gelding was one of several runners that held every chance after two out and he then scampered clear after the last to finish four and a half lengths ahead of Hughies Bay.
“He ran in two points last season and was then third in the point-to-point bumper at Tipperary,” commented Winters. “His jumping was a bit sticky but it’s been better since he came back in. I was hoping he’d run well and he should improve from this.”
The 80-rated Grecian Divine (4/1), whose early season form included a good fourth to Roly Poly at Naas, got her turn in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.
After being placed on five of her first seven outings, the Denis Hogan inmate controlled this six-furlong contest from the front under Pat Smullen. The Martin Burke-owned filly remained in charge for the duration of the straight and finished with two lengths to spare over In Somno.
“I thought she’d have won her maiden long before now but she had an accident on the walker after her run behind Roly Poly which knocked her back by a month. She’s lucky to be alive and Ger Kelly and the people at Fethard Equine Hospital deserve a lot of credit,” commented Denis Hogan. “She’s a good filly and she’s tough, she got through that ground well. She’ll go for a nursery now.”
The heavy ground-loving Jealika (5/1) notched up a win at the Festival for the second year in succession with a powerful late charge in the Feale Handicap.
Shane Foley’s mount had it all to do from third last turning for home and didn’t enjoyed the smoothest of runs in the straight but she gradually worked her way into contention. When she got into the clear in the last furlong she stayed on powerfully to sweep by Enter The Red.
“She just grows a leg on that ground,” reflected Mark Fahey, who trains the five-year-old for owner-breeder Jean Bird. “Conor Hoban rides her in all her work. He’s on the way back from Korea and couldn’t ride her but he told Shane exactly what to do. She’s a tough filly and loves passing horses.
Noel Meade made it two winners in as many days at the meeting as She’s A Star (7/4) took the mares maiden hurdle on her first outing since March.
A Down Royal bumper winner on her debut last season, the daughter of Well Chosen moved into close contention before the straight. Sean Flanagan’s mount wasn’t all that fluent two out but recovered to head Wilms Warrior before the last and then asserted late on to pull five and a half lengths clear.
“She was a bit careful at a couple of hurdles but she’s schooled well at home and will improve on this. She loved the ground and I actually ended up getting there too soon on her,” declared Flanagan, who was sporting the colours of Philip Meade.
Another Rattler secured the first victory of his 16 race career in the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Hurdle. Brien Kane was on board the 8/1 chance who picked off Pashtunwali before the final flight en route to a two and three-quarter-length triumph.
The winner carried the colours of race sponsor J.P. McManus and trainer Philip Rothwell reported that his charge is well suited by deep ground.
ACTING STEWARDS
M. McMahon, S. McDonogh, O. Kearney, P.D. Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW
LADY RAVENNA (J.G. Murphy): This filly improved on her first couple of runs to finish third to Grecian Divine in the six-furlong two-year-old maiden where she showed enough to indicate a nursery could be within reach this autumn.