FOR the second time in as many months, Roger Varian’s Realtra launched a successful raid to Ireland as she readily outpointed the home defence in the Group 3 Fairy Bridge Stakes where she once again teamed up with Colin Keane.

In early July Realtra bagged the Group 3 Brownstown Stakes at Fairyhouse and she was more emphatic on this occasion despite facing a better field and having to overcome a potentially troublesome high draw. The 4/1 chance, whose trainer also struck gold in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh last month, initially bided her time in midfield before the race reached its crucial juncture at the entrance to the straight.

At this point Music Box swung wide to come up the stand’s side rail and she was followed, among others, by Realtra who came through to lead her group with around a furlong to run. Inside the distance, the Dark Angel mare finished out strongly to scamper away from Drumfad Bay who led home the runners on the far side. Realtra crossed the line a length and three-quarters ahead of Drumfad Bay, with the favourite Music Box a further length back in third.

“She had a bad draw and I was trying to get as good a position as possible so I followed Seamie (Music Box),” said Keane. “The plan was to come up the middle of the track but I followed Seamie all the way over and my mare has picked up well and won easily.”

Gorane enabled Henry de Bromhead to break new ground as she turned up in the form of her life to spring a 14/1 surprise in the five-furlong Kilfrush Stud Abergwaun Stakes. A first listed winner for the trainer, the Dream Ahead filly was returning from over two months off and needed to bounce back from a below par effort at Cork last time.

However, two decent runs at stakes level earlier in the season suggested that the Clipper Logistics representative could hold her own and she relished her first try on slow ground. The always prominent Gorane held a definite lead for Declan McDonogh from halfway and she first saw off the English raider Green Door before keeping on well to contain fellow three-year-old Snowstar by half a length. Ardhoomey was the same distance back in third.

“She got a great ride from Declan who felt that she was still a little green when she jumped off but she’s got a great stride when she gets into a rhythm,” remarked de Bromhead. “I was keen to try her on soft ground and it wasn’t a disadvantage to her. She’s in the Flying Five at the Curragh on Sunday but I’ll talk to Steve Parkin (owner) about where we go next.”

McDonogh also struck on Comhghairdeas (5/1) whose willing triumph in the five-furlong handicap may well have been his final appearance of the season. This tightly knit affair, where the front five in the betting were covered by just a point, saw the Men Of Forty Eight Syndicate-owned winner and Go Kart go toe to toe from well over a furlong out. The battle between the front duo ebbed and flowed before Andy Slattery’s charge hit the line with a short-head to spare.

“I was probably a bit kind to him after he won his maiden and he just had a blow when he ran at the Curragh on Sunday (sixth to St Brelades Bay),” reported Slattery. “We might just leave him off now and hopefully he’ll be a premier handicap horse for next season. He likes a cut in the ground.”

As expected, the Willie Mullins-trained Riven Light made short work of his three rivals in the Meadowview Stables Race over nine furlongs. The Susannah Ricci-owned gelding was returning to the fray for the first time since Galway where he looked decidedly unlucky not to complete a premier handicap double. The 1/5 favourite cruised to the front off the land bend and just needed to be kept up to his work over the last furlong to account for the game Aussie Valentine by two and three-quarter lengths.

“He’d be better in a better class of race and he wasn’t doing much in front but I didn’t want to disappoint him when he got there,” observed Smullen. “He’s an improving horse who is getting quicker.”

After a succession of good runs in defeat Aidan O’Brien’s Sizzling (1/2) took advantage of a good opportunity in the Camas Park Stud Irish EBF Fillies Maiden. The Galileo two-year-old, who hails from an outstanding American dynasty, was given a fair test by the newcomer Epaneema. Donnacha O’Brien’s mount always seemed to have the latter’s measure over the last furlong though and she went on score by half a length. There was a seven-length gap back to the remainder.

“She had some very good runs and she’s a hardy filly who will get a mile this season and middle distances next year. She’ll step up in class now,” stated the trainer.

Aidan and Donnacha O’Brien then followed up with Sizzling’s three-year-old brother Squire’s Tale (7/2) in the mile and a half maiden. On his first outing since taking second in a Ballinrobe maiden in June, the lightly raced colt launched a steady challenge in the straight and this enabled him to subdue the 50/1 front running newcomer Bid Adieu late on.

“He’s just taken a bit more time than Sizzling but he stays well and will get further. He’ll improve with racing,” said O’Brien.

Kevin Prendergast and Chris Hayes joined forces to land the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Claiming Maiden with the 60-rated Blue Petal (12/1) who showed a fine attitude to see off the favourite Vocal Response. Blue Petal challenged the market leader shortly after turning in and after getting to the front with a furlong to run she ran on gamely to see off her aforementioned opponent by half a length. The winner is owned and bred by the trainer’s wife, Lesley.

“She’s tough and hardy like all the family and what she lacks in size she makes up for with heart,” commented the winning rider.

Cracking Name, who is trained by Paul Deegan for his father Denis, came good at the sixth attempt as she dominated the apprentice riders’ handicap from the front. Ross Coakley set a tempo to suit himself on the daughter of Famous Name and the race was as good as over when Cracking Name (8/1) quickened away from the pack early in the straight.

On her sixth outing and her first since running a good fourth to Avalanche at Cork two months previously, Cracking Name finished with five and a half lengths to spare.

“It’s taken her a while to learn how to do things right and the ground was probably a bit quick for her the last couple of times she ran. She handled that but will go on slower,” declared the trainer.

Delay

A CRASH on the M8 which led to huge delays on that motorway saw the starting time of this card pushed back by some 35 minutes to allow the various personnel and participants to get to the track on time. Commendably, the efforts of all concerned saw the last race go off just eight minutes later than advertised.

ACTING STEWARDS:

S. McDonogh, D.H. Gavin, D. Nagle, P. Dowling, L. Walsh

HORSE TO FOLLOW:

EPANEEMA (J.S. Bolger): This Epaulette filly made a fine start to her career to finish second to Sizzling in the two-year-old maiden. On this evidence she won’t take long to make her mark in a maiden this autumn.