JOHN Oxx’s near absolute stranglehold on the Lenebane Stakes continued as Flying Fairies captured the highlight of Roscommon’s flat racing programme to give the Currabeg trainer his sixth victory in the race in the last decade.
A winner of the Trigo Stakes last October for Joe Murphy, the four-year-old joined John Oxx for owner Ann Marshall following last year’s Tattersalls December Mares Sale. In four previous outings this year she had run with plenty of credit and the chance to race on slow ground over a mile and a half brought about her best effort yet.
From the entrance to the straight, the Gary Carroll-ridden daughter of Holy Roman Emperor was full of running but she had nowhere to go for some time until the last furlong when she got a vital split. Flying Fairies (14/1) duly seized the initiative and she quickened past the game front-runner Glamorous Approach to prevail by a length and a quarter. The lightly raced Savannah Storm posted a pleasing effort to take third.
“It has been a lucky race for us although two furlongs out I was wondering if our luck was out,” said Oxx.
“When the gap came though she flew through it and won a little comfortably. She’s a very tough, genuine filly and she likes a little ease in the ground. We’ll keep her going in these types of races and possibly she might go for the Group 3 Give Thanks Stakes at Cork next month.”
After showing up well to finish fourth in Curragh maidens won by Verbal Dexterity and Gustav Klimt, the Sheila Lavery-trained Burgundy Boy (100/30) got his turn in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. Before this seven-furlong contest got underway there was no shortage of drama as Messerati Kid went down in the stalls and had to be withdrawn and Coat Of Arms got loose and was also scratched.
None of this fazed the strapping Burgundy Boy who raced on the pace before then going toe-to -toe with Port Lions from the turn-in. Throughout the last furlong and a half, Gary Carroll’s mount looked to have the measure of his opponent and he crossed the line with a head to spare. The first two did come together a couple of times in the closing stages but an enquiry left the placings unchanged.
“He’s owned by my niece Joanne who works for me.
“She bought him as a foal but couldn’t sell him as a yearling,” reported the trainer. “He’s not ground dependent and if he’s not sold he’s a horse we should have a lot of fun with. Gary thought Galway would suit him so he’ll go for the nursery there.”
STYLISH
The card concluded with a stylish display from the smart chaser Powersbomb who dominated the Lilac Rooms Maiden over just short of a mile and a half. Colin Keane made the running on the 11/10 favourite who maintained an unfaltering tempo from the turn in to score by six and a half lengths from market rival Flamingo Sea.
“He did it very well and he’s been a star for me, he’s been to Leopardstown at Christmas, Cheltenham and Punchestown,” reflected Brian McMahon, whose charge carries the colours of Carmel Lordan. “He’ll head to Galway and he’s very versatile so he’ll have quite a few entries there.
“We’ll put him in the amateur riders’ handicap on the Monday and the Guinness Handicap on the Friday and he might get an entry in the Plate although the trip there could just stretch him.”
An industrious evening for Jim Bolger and Kevin Manning yielded a double and on both occasions the latter executed perfectly judged rides from the front. The first leg of the brace came courtesy of the Godolphin-owned Panstarr in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden where the 72-rated daughter of Pivotal returned to the form that saw her show up well in a couple of early season maidens.
The 14/1 chance shook off the attentions of Artistic Melody with over a furlong to run and she finished four and a quarter lengths clear of Dawn Choir.
“Kevin said that he was going to ride her differently and she was quite happy out in front. She relished the step-up to 10 furlongs and did it very well,” stated the trainer’s representative Ger Flynn.
BOLGER DOUBLE
The double was completed by the teak-tough Slaney Street in the Roscommon Herald Handicap. Just two days after finishing fourth to Eagle Spirit at Naas, the Jackie Bolger-owned gelding was recording a timely success in this 10-furlong contest as he was due to come under the hammer at the July Sale on Wednesday, (withdrawn.) Auckland threatened to close in on the Apprentice Derby runner-up as the last furlong loomed but the 9/2 shot stuck to his task well to score by three-quarters of a length.
Aspen Belle, who had notched up a couple of runner-up finishes after winning at Cork in the spring, enjoyed the most straightforward of triumphs in the seven-furlong Property Partners Earley Auctioneers Fillies Handicap. Leigh Roche made all on the Tom Brennan-owned filly who was untroubled to finish five and a half lengths clear of Botanical Lady.
“She got a lovely, soft lead and she settled better than she has done in the past,” reported Martin. “She got away with the ground as I was worried it mightn’t be quite slow enough for her. She’s tough and honest.”
Trainer Richard O’Brien’s two-strong assault on the Supervalu’s Roscommon Apprentice Handicap yielded a one-two as the Sean Davis-ridden Tom Dooley (4/1) edged out Alans Pride. The pair served up a tremendous tussle over the last furlong and a half and, after a brave effort from the front, Alans Pride was forced to yield in the last few strides.
A 72-race veteran, the Ballingarry Partnership-owned winner was reversing form with Alans Pride after the pair filled the minor placings behind Path Of Silver at Tipperary on Thursday.
ACTING STEWARDS
P.J. O’Connor, A. Ryan, D. Gavin, P. Dunican, H. Hynes
Horse To Follow
SAVANNAH STORM (G.M. Lyons): This sparingly campaigned four-year-old ran a fine race to take third in the Lenebane Stakes and a good prize could come his way soon.