FORMER Kildare footballer and Rathbride based Willie McCreery put his footballing connections to good use at Listowel on Sunday where the trainer completed a double in the opening maidens.
Both winners were ridden by Billy Lee and Mintd began the meeting with a comfortable win in the median auction maiden
McCreery later said: “We had the draw and had to use it and she quickened up nicely and Billy gave her a lovely ride.
“She was second to probably the best filly (Fairyland) in Ireland the last day and it’s good that she has gone and won and franked that form.
“We’ll start looking at blacktype now and I’m not sure we’ll be looking at Royal Ascot or anything like that but she is a lovely filly and has grown again.
“The (Mintd) Syndicate are a group of lads from Clane GAA and include Tom Cribbin who managed the Westmeath footballers. It’s great to have them as I played football with most of them. Richie Dunne is a member and was involved with Colour Of Love who we had a couple of years ago.”
An hour later McCreery’s True To Herself made full use of entry to the race as first reserve when landing the Croom House Stud Irish EBF (Fillies) Maiden, under jockey Lee, for owner/breeder Brian McDonald.
McCreery commented: “Eddie Lynam said yesterday he wouldn’t run his horse (Dolly Levi) if the ground became quick so I’d a fair idea she’d get a run.
“She is owned by lovely fella Brian ‘Beano’ McDonald (and his father Tom McDonald) who was a good footballer for Laois. He was one of the best footballers in Leinster and this is his first horse in training.
“I told him she mightn’t get in and not to bother coming down so I suppose he’s fit to kill me!
“It’s great for him as he bred her.”
Willie Mullins was on the mark in the concluding Bryan MacMahon (QR) Race as his Law Girl (3/1) provided jockey Lisa O’Neill with a first winner on her first ride for the champion jumps trainer.
The Rich Ricci-owned mare quickened well in the home straight and, in the end, beat Light Pillar by three-quarters of a length.
Mullins wasn’t present but O’Neill, who has famously won two Kerry Nationals at the venue, later said: “That’s my first ride for Mr Mullins so it’s great to get a win on it. She travelled the whole way and jumped on the bridle a furlong down and galloped the whole way to the line.
“I rang Patrick (Mullins) myself when I saw she had a light weight and if you don’t try, you’ll never know!
“It’s a privilege to ride one of his.”
INTENSE WINner
Trainer Eoin McCarthy also recorded a first at the fixture when sending out his first flat winner, with Intense Starlet (20/1) in the St. John’s Literary Centre Handicap.
Jockey Nathan Crosse steered the daughter of Intense Focus to a half-length success on her first start at a mile and afterwards McCarthy commented: “She was only beaten 11 lengths in a listed race last year (over five furlongs) so you’d be hoping she’d win from a rating of 42.
“Today was her first run for me and she had won twice in England in the past and I felt, reading her pedigree, she’d stay the mile today and she is out of a good German family.
“It was very hard to get any anyone to do the weight today but I was delighted to get Nathan. I’d seen Nathan doing the pony racing and he was a good rider. That’s my first flat winner. She’ll go for another handicap next.”
Trainer Joe Murphy got off the mark for the season in the Follow Listowel Races On Facebook Handicap with the Patricia Mullane-owned Fit For Function under jockey Gary Carroll.
Murphy was chuffed with the win and later quipped: “He came down in the ratings which helped and at his own level he is very good but like a moderate singer, if he goes up an octave he is in trouble. I just hope the handicapper won’t give him a sore throat now!”
He added: “My horses are running well; we started them a bit late this year as they were sick over the winter and we took our time. He loved the track and Gary (Carroll) said he turned the bend like a hare!”
My Snowdrop gave John Oxx a comprehensive win in the George Fitzmaurice Handicap for Niall McCullagh and owners the Swordlestownlittle Syndicate.
The 7/1 winner scored by three and a quarter lengths from Mnemonic Alexander and Oxx later said: “She goes on soft and I don’t think ground, as long as it’s not firm, makes a lot of difference to her. She has probably improved a bit with her racing.
“That is a good trip there as she doesn’t seem to stay a mile and maybe she could run six, I’m not sure.
“She handled the track well, is speedy and well balanced and maybe she has improved a little bit.
“That is her league but she is a winner and we’ll keep going in that grade.”
The Dermot Weld-trained Wentwood (4/1) showed a nice turn to foot to win the mile maiden easily, on his second career start, under jockey Leigh Roche.
Leigh only asked the son of Pour Moi for minimal effort in the home straight and in the end they comfortably beat Understate by a length for owners Glyn and Jane Davies.
Acting Stewards
P. McLernon, J. Powell, Ms J. Farrell, O. Kearney, M.F.O’Donoghue
Horse To Follow
WENTWOOD (D.K. Weld) He won the mile maiden well and can make his presence felt upped in grade next time.