HE may have missed the cut for the Lincoln but three weeks later ample compensation awaited the talented Patrick Sarsfield as he claimed the even more valuable Irish Stallion Farms EBF Nasrullah Handicap.
Now a winner of three of his four starts since joining Joseph O’Brien a year ago, the four-year-old son of Australia produced a cracking effort under Declan McDonogh to claim this €85,000 10-furlong prize which was switched from its traditional Leopardstown slot.
The bare result shows that Patrick Sarsfield got home by three-quarters of a length from the English import Pesto but this doesn’t quite convey the merit ofhis performance.
A smooth comeback win at Leopardstown last month saw him pick up a 15lb rise in the weights for a five-length triumph and that looked certain to make this a daunting test for Patrick Sarsfield. He was not found wanting though and looks ready to fulfil the stakes race potential he has shown from an early stage of his career.
“That was a good performance off that weight in a very competitive race and you’d have to be very pleased with him. He’s a lovely horse to have and I imagine he will be going into stakes races after this,” remarked O’Brien who trains the winner for Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez.
Just five days after showing up quite well in the Rockingham, Stanhope struck for John McConnell and Rory Cleary in the 50-80 rated five-furlong handicap. The Galaxy Horse Racing Syndicate-owned winner had to carry top weight of 10st 2lb but coped splendidly with this burden to defeat Miacomet by half a length.
“He ran very well in the Rockingham and was possibly a shade unlucky and we felt coming here he had a great chance even though he had a big weight to carry,” remarked the trainer who was looking at turning his charge out again at Navan on Thursday.
Delphi and Forest Of Dreams in O’Brien double
AIDAN O’Brien notched up a double which featured a battling success for Delphi in the 10-furlong €40,000 Royal County Handicap for three-year-olds.
A week after winning a maiden at the Curragh, this Galileo colt continued his progress with a tenacious success under Wayne Lordan. The front-running 3/1 shot was under pressure sooner than many of his rivals but kept finding more and finished well over the last furlong to contain the challenge of Sacramento by a neck.
“He won over a mile last week and was always going to better at this trip, and I think he’ll be better again at a mile and a half. He’s tough and likes to battle,” remarked the rider.
The Ballydoyle trainer was earlier successful with the smart Forest Of Dreams (16/5) in a warm-looking Irish Stallion Farms EBF (C&G) Maiden over an extended five furlongs.
This son of No Nay Never picked up quite nicely to head Coill Avon after that one had looked to have moved into a useful lead nearing the furlong pole and he was going away at the line where he had two and a quarter lengths to spare.
“I always felt I’d get there when I wanted to. He’s got a great mind, he’s got scope and he’s got pace. He’s a colt with a lot going for him,” remarked a suitably impressed Seamie Heffernan.
Ger Lyons and Colin Keane were out of luck with Coill Avon but they enjoyed better luck in the National Defense Irish EBF Fillies Maiden where Nimbostratus (13/8) outpointed the odds-on Hazel.
Great battle
This pair had a great battle from around two furlongs out but Nimbostratus was just that bit stronger at all stages as she got home by half a length.
The Sean Jones, Lynne Lyons, Noel Greenhaigh and David Spratt-owned Wootton Bassett filly was progressing from a fine debut third to More Beautiful at Naas.
She looks more than good enough to make her presence felt at stakes level.
THE former Grade 1-winning novice hurdler Felix Desjy (10/11) returned from almost 15 months off the track with a customary trail-blazing victory in the amateur riders’ maiden over two miles.
This Gordon Elliott inmate was left in splendid isolation up front throughout this race where, apart from the runner-up Advantage Point, nothing else counted. Jamie Codd and the Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding were miles clear inside the last half mile and went on to score by eight lengths.
“He would have been ready to run at Punchestown or Fairyhouse in the spring but he then had a break and was just ready to start back. He just had a setback in the early part of the winter which kept him off,” reported Elliott. “We’ll look at the Galway Hurdle now.”
Earlier, the first division of the 45-65 rated apprentice handicap over 10 furlongs went to Tony Martin’s Noble Intention (10/1) who was winning his first race since December 2016. Dylan Browne McMonagle kept the Clive Buckley-owned gelding close to the pace and the pair led with over a furlong to run to defeat the well backed Amlad by three-quarters of a length.
The other apprentice handicap went to the Nathan Crosse-ridden Giorni Felice (8/1) who was adding to his sole previous win which came at Roscommon in August 2017. After once being rated as high as 80, this six-year-old had come down in the weights to a career low mark of 45 and he took full advantage to see off Hidden Spark by three and a half lengths. The winner was making his fourth appearance for trainer Francis Casey.