WAYNE Lordan maintained his fine run of form with a double which took his tally to six winners in the last four days. He completed his brace aboard Henry de Bromhead’s Harry’s Legacy who came out the right side of a titanic finish to the Irish Examiner Handicap.

Victory could have gone to any number of horses entering the last couple of furlongs in this extended two-mile contest and at this stage Harry’s Legacy (10/3) was just working his way into contention after being held up off the pace.

Six horses were still in the thick of the action entering the last furlong, but a game Harry’s Legacy answered his rider’s every call to land his head in front in the last few strides.

The Oliver and Clare Byrne-owned son of Teofilo got home by a head from Jesse Evans, with Cozone a head way in third.

Battle

“It worked out well, he settled well and enjoys racing like that,” the rider said. “He had a battle on his hands and for those horses going two miles it is a long way, but he stays very well and he could be a very nice stayer next year.”

Lordan was earlier successful aboard the Sneezy Foster-trained Mollys Gamble (12/1) in the Executive Helicopters-sponsored 47-65 rated three-year-old handicap.

The Never Give Up Syndicate-owned winner, who had struggled to make a telling impression on her six previous starts, was as big as 28/1 in the morning before eventually being sent off at 12/1 and she came with a strong charge from off the pace to strike the front deep inside the last furlong for a half-length success over Bayou Belle.

“Mark Enright has been riding this filly and his uncle, Pat, owns her,” remarked the rider. “Mark had to go to Dundalk today but told me everything he needed to know about the filly and said she’d run well. She doesn’t like being crowded and when I switched to the outside and came home really well.”

At the age of 11, Castlegrace Paddy (5/2) made a winning debut on the flat in the Beaufort Golf Club (Q.R.) Maiden over a mile and three-quarters.

A triple Grade 2 winner over fences and a high-class performer at his peak, the Clipper Logistics-owned and Pat Fahy-trained gelding was turned out in great shape on his first start since April. In a race run at a steady pace Castlegrace Paddy and Patrick Mullins looked to have the odds-on favourite, Happy Jacky, covered for much of the straight and the pair asserted in good style to score by four and a quarter lengths.

“I was surprised he wasn’t favourite as he is a graded horse who beat A Plus Tard and even going down to the start, he gave the feel of a proper horse,” observed Patrick Mullins. “I think he goes for the Galway Plate next and I told (trainer’s son) Conor to keep me in mind for the ride as he’d have enough weight. I’m delighted to get a winner for Pat.”

The stewards interviewed Ray Barron regarding his riding of Happy Jacky in the last 100 yards where he appeared to stop riding and lost second. The rider stated he was aware of the challenger for second but that his mount had no more to give and was beaten fairly. The stewards accepted the explanation.

THE Paddy Twomey-trained Milestone Payment brought an exotic touch to the second night of the meeting as she made a successful return to the country of her birth in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

A 400,000 guineas yearling, this daughter of Lope De Vega began her career in America but after a relatively fruitless four-run campaign for Chad Brown she was repatriated after being picked up from a Saratoga claimer last year.

Now back in the colours of her breeder Kevin Quinn, Milestone Payment (13/2) revelled in the switch back to Ireland. From an outset draw she broke alertly to show in front for Billy Lee from early on and had her 14 rivals toiling in vain for much of the straight before eventually getting to the line with just under four lengths to spare.

“It’s great for Kevin (Quinn) who has had horses with me since I started,” stated Twomey. “The story actually goes back further than this filly as he bought the dam from Godolphin at the February Sale as she subsequently won a listed race for him. She’s been with us all the spring and she’s been training well and we said we’d start her here.”

Ger Lyons and Colin Keane combined to win with a nice staying type in Malabu Drive (11/8) in the Killarney Oils Maiden over just short of a mile and a half. The Juddmonte-owned son of Frankel and the dual American Grade 1 winner Tates Creek dominated this race from the outset and looked to have his chief market rival, Chilled Out, in trouble from some way out.

The latter stuck to his task but could never land a telling blow and finished two and a half lengths adrift of the winner who looks an interesting type for the second half of the season.

JESSICA Harrington’s team remains in great heart and the trainer secured another double here which was completed by Irish Lullaby (15/2) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap over 11 furlongs.

The Sarah Kelly-owned daughter of Nathaniel, who won a Sligo maiden in early May, was returning from a near two-month break and looked better than ever under Nathan Crosse. She swept to the front approaching the last couple of furlongs and quickly dealt with the challenge of Venice Biennale before keeping on strongly to defeat Secret Sea by three and three quarter lengths.

“I won on her in Sligo and she is still a big, raw filly,” commented Crosse. “She really enjoyed being able to use her stride today and I let her freewheel off the bend and was very happy with her. She is a big, strong filly and is only maturing now and there is plenty more to come.”

The trainer’s brace began with the Shane Foley-ridden My Minervina (7/1) who progressed from landing a Bellewstown claimer at the start of the month to follow up in the 50-80 rated GMIB Handicap over a mile.

The Peter Savill-owned filly had most of the field to pass turning in but came with a sustained effort that saw her strike the front in the closing stages. She got to the line a length ahead of High Altitude.