THE Ger Lyons-trained Brendan Brackan turned out in rare order for the start of his sixth season with the finest weight-carrying performance witnessed in the Tote Irish Lincoln for 27 years.
A winner of the 2013 Galway Mile and subsequently successful at Group 3 and listed level, the evergreen eight-year-old was giving weight to the entire field. He was more than equal to the task at hand under a superbly judged ride from Gary Carroll.
The 16/1 chance, who is owned by Sean Jones and David Spratt, stuck to the inside rail as most of the field swung into the middle of the track. When Brendan Brackan got the chance to deliver his challenge he picked up in fine style.
He finished a length and a half ahead of Aussie Valentine, who was second in the race for the third year in succession. The Lyons-trained Sea Wolf took third.
“He got a lovely split down the inner and when he got into the clear he took off,” said Lyons. “He’s a class horse and was a group horse running in a handicap. He’s been an absolute legend of a horse for us and has won a stakes race every year since 2013 and I hope he will do the same this year. I’m delighted for Gary too as he is a very big part of our team.”
Some 25 years after he took the first ride of his career at this track, Graham Lee made a victorious return to Naas on the Mick Channon-trained Czabo in the Group 3 Lodge Park Stud EBF Park Express Stakes.
Last year’s Irish 1000 Guineas fourth was one of five fillies that held every chance approaching the last furlong.
At this point the favourite Somehow, Flying Fairies and Queen Anne’s Lace were doing battle up front and they all remained locked in combat inside the distance.
Czabo fought on gamely to see off Somehow by half a length with a further length back to Flying Fairies. The daughter of Sixties Icon is owned by David Wachman, Linda Shanahan and M.V. Magnier.
“I had my first ride here for Noel Meade in 1992 in a race won by Novello Allegro, who was ridden by Tommy Carmody and went on to be a very good hurdler,” stated Lee. “The ground is very holding but this filly has big feet and when the going got tough out there she showed that she has a big heart.”
Aidan O’Brien’s team are in excellent heart as the trainer supplied two impressive maiden winners, both ridden by his daughter of Ana.
The Ballydoyle double was completed by Orderofthegarter who routed his rivals in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over a mile. The 11/4 shot filled the runner-up spot on his two outings last season and has evidently progressed well. He made much of the running and he stretched further and further clear of his discouraged rivals, eventually coming home with 11 lengths to spare.
“He had two good runs last year. He handled the ground and galloped home well,” stated O’Brien. “He’s a horse we liked last year and he could step up to the Guineas Trial at Leopardstown next.”
Earlier, O’Brien’s Alphabet (7/1) dominated the Weatherbys GSB Goes Online Maiden. The daughter of Lawman showed promise for David Wachman last season, the front-runner had this race in safe keeping from some way out and finished with five and a half lengths ahead of the strongly supported favourite Ma Fee Heela.
“David (Wachman) liked her a lot last year and he felt that she had plenty of speed. She jumped smartly and travelled strongly for Ana there and she’ll probably step up to listed or group class next,” reported O’Brien.
The opening day of the turf season has provided the Stack yard with some memorable moments but the victory of Gino Severini in the Palmerstown House Madrid Handicap was surely a special one for the stable. After taking over the licence at Thomastown Castle from his father, Tommy, Fozzy Stack was sending out his first runners at this fixture and he got his training career off to the best possible start.
Gino Severini (12/1-8/1) was one of the first under pressure but responded with a sustained effort that enabled him to get on top inside the distance. The Next Pension Fund Syndicate-owned gelding passed the post a length and a half ahead of Hailstone.
“He has been working well and he’s strengthened up a bit since last year when he was placed in a few decent maidens,” commented the trainer.
Since he first won the race 52 years ago, Kevin Prendergast has a fine record in the opening two-year-old maiden and duly collected this year’s Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden with Moonlight Bay.
The daughter of Pivotal produced a professional display under Chris Hayes and picked up nicely to close down the front-running favourite Royal Diplomat. In the last 100 yards Moonlight Bay (4/1) asserted to finish two and a half lengths clear of her opponents.
“She’s a nice filly and probably just handled the ground better than most,” reflected Prendergast. “She was bred at Lumville Farm, which is one of Sheikh Hamdan’s studs in Offaly, and they run a good operation there. Hopefully she will go on from here.”
In addition to landing the day’s feature, Ger Lyons also struck with the French recruit Gymkhana (12/1) who claimed a competitive six-furlong handicap.
A 21,000gns purchase last autumn having won once in France, this son of Equiano travelled nicely under Colin Keane. Gymkhana quickened smartly for a convincing two and a quarter-length victory over Athas An Bhean.
“His owner Patrick Cassidy bought him last autumn and approached us about training him,” reflected Ger Lyons. “It’s a great start for new owners to the yard and he’s a straight forward horse who has done everything asked of him at home. I’m still just learning about him.”
ACTING STEWARDS
N. O’Byrne, J. Weld, J. Martin-Smith, A. Byrne, P.D. Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW
TOMMY HALLINAN (W. McCreery): This gelding was the only one to provide any resistance to Orderofthegarter in the mile maiden. He was beaten 11 lengths but still finished well clear of the remainder.