By Ryan McElligott

JIM Bolger took centre stage with a double that was supplied by a pair of promising juveniles and the Coolcullen trainer could have a lot to look forward to with Group 1 entrant Lucida.

The Godolphin-owned daughter of Shamardal was handed her debut in the six-furlong Frank Kenny Race and she faced just four rivals but two of those were previous winners.

In comfortably disposing of an interesting field, Lucida announced herself as a filly of considerable promise.

The relation to the top-class American turf runner English Channel was going nicely for Kevin Manning entering the last quarter of a mile and she led with just over a furlong to run. Once she got to the front Lucida never looked likely to be beaten and she was a length and three-quarters winner over another promising newcomer, Compass Hill.

“She’s my only entry for the Cheveley Park Stakes but she could well have a run somewhere in between,” said Bolger.

Bolger and Manning then struck with Sheikh Mohammed’s Parish Boy (9/4) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. The New Approach colt was having his second run in this seven-furlong contest with his first having come in a smart Leopardstown maiden won by Convergence two months ago.

After holding a prominent position, Parish Boy went for home with well over a furlong to run and kept on nicely to repel the staying on Order Of St George by three-quarters of a length.

“I thought he’d win at Leopardstown but there you go,” reflected Bolger, whose charge comes from a terrific middle-distance family that has produced the likes of Alborada and Yesterday. “I’d say you probably won’t see the best of him until next year.”

Young rider Donagh O’Connor (16) rode his first winner on just his third ride courtesy of the Seamus Mannion-owned Miller Beach in the one-mile apprentice handicap. The New Ross-born jockey produced the 5/1 joint-favourite to lead inside the last quarter of a mile and a willing Miller Beach stuck to his task well to deny Mezogiorno by a head.

“It’s a special day for Donagh,” observed trainer Johnny Levins. “I think he could be a top-class jockey. He’s very cool and rides with so much confidence and even for a young lad he’s been invaluable to me at home. I just hope I can keep giving him winners and I’m very proud of him.”

An industrious season for Strait Of Zanzibar took another turn for the better as Ken Condon’s charge claimed the seven-furlong rated race. Even though he had won twice in his last six starts and came into this race in good form, the Ray Doyle-owned runner was the second longest priced runner at 7/1. Shane Foley moved Strait Of Zanzibar into the lead with less than 200 yards to run and the pair contained Toccata Blue by three-quarters of a length.

“I like these races as they give horses like him a chance to win again. He battled well and he’s been in a very good vein of form for his last half dozen runs. Seven furlongs or a mile is fine for him,” stated Condon.

On her first outing for over two months, John Oxx’s Newton’s Night (5/1) registered a clear-cut triumph in the one-mile Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

The Christopher Tsui-owned daughter of Galileo was last seen in action over 10 furlongs but the drop in trip clearly suited her well. She was travelling nicely for Declan McDonogh when improving early in the straight and she soon seized control of the race to defeat the 33/1 chance Sweet Cherry by three and a half lengths with the favourite Chicago Girl third.

Oxx commented. “She liked the ease in the ground and if we get similar ground we will go for a handicap next.”

The victory of Twistsandturns in the 47-65 rated handicap over seven furlongs was the death knell for those chasing a Pick 6 pool that has swelled to over €350,000.

On his sixth career outing, the Danny Grant-ridden Twistsandturns was backed from as big as 28/1 in the morning into 12/1. The Galway Festival winner Botanical Lady looked to have her rivals burned off passing the furlong pole but she could find no more late on as Twistsandturns swept by. Millington was half a length back in second with Botanical Lady the same distance back in third.

“He’s owned by Bridey Cooney and the Cooneys are great supporters of mine. This one’s dam, Shesthebiscuit, won four races for us a few years ago,” declared Flynn.

Apprentice Sean Corby maintained his fine run of form as he guided top-weight She’s Not Simple to a 25/1 success in the 47-65 rated six-furlong handicap. The Pat Martin inmate is owned by Armagh-based Patrick McCann, in whose colours Corby rode his first winner earlier this year, and she was running at Naas for the first time since scoring at 33/1 in a maiden 13 months ago. The four-year-old came with a sustained bid to lead a furlong out before a two lengths win over Big Bad Lily.

“She had issues with stalls when we first got her and her head was a bit fried but she’s gradually got the message and has become more relaxed,” commented Martin. “Sean is riding with great confidence. It’s not a shock as the ground was just too hard for her at Gowran last month.”