FOR the second year in succession Willie McCreery claimed the featured Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Fillies Race as the progressive Bumbasina became her trainer’s eighth winner of the month.

This extended mile contest witnessed an interesting clash between a pair of promising fillies in the winner and the odds-on Angel Island who made a successful start debut at Cork last month. The pair dominated both the market and the finish as they went toe-to-toe over the last two furlongs.

Angel Island looked to be going the better entering the final quarter of a mile but a game Bumbasina (3/1) responded well to Billy Lee’s urgings. The Renzo Forni-owned and bred Gowran maiden winner had a narrow lead with 200 yards to run and continued to hold her rival to the line, where she had three parts of a length to spare.

“She’s a lazy filly but she finds plenty for pressure and she was the same when she won at Gowran a few weeks ago,” said McCreery. “Hopefully she’ll progress again from this and I also have to mention the track which has been repaired in great shape after all the rain they had here on Monday evening. They’ve done a great job and more tracks could learn from them.”

It was a night to remember for trainer Denise Marie O’Shea and Rachael Blackmore as the pair recorded their first victory on the flat courtesy of Supreme Vinnie in the mile and three quarters conditions race. The useful jumper, who has been a fine standard bearer for his trainer, was allowed to go off at 14/1 but readily accounted for the 98-rated favourite Aydoun.

Supreme Vinnie found himself locked away on the inner for much of the straight as Aydoun and Mountain Rock duelled for the lead and it was only entering the final furlong that he got an opening to challenge. However when he got into the clear, the Moon & Stars Syndicate-owned eight-year-old swept by Aydoun to prevail by a length and three quarters.

“He’s my stable star and he’s very versatile, just like his jockey,” declared the trainer. “He got a cracking ride from Rachael and the plan is now to go chasing at Kilbeggan in a couple of weeks. He could mix it between the flat and jumps over the summer.”

Denis Hogan could have a progressive sort on his hands in Shinghari (7/1) who won the 11-furlongs handicap with more to spare than the winning margin of a length would suggest.

The €16,000 purchase was having his second start for Hogan and was delivered with a strong challenge on the outer by Killian Hennessy as the field entered the last couple of furlongs.

Beau Et Sublime soon emerged as a big threat but Shinghari, who carries the colours of the trainer’s father Martin, always had him covered. The favourite, Bay Hill, was withdrawn after playing up in the stalls.

“We bought him out of Dermot Weld’s last November and he got a great ride from Killian who has been coming into me the last few Saturdays,” declared Hogan. “I thought Killian’s 5lb would help him and the horse battled well for him too. He looks one for Galway and he’s schooled well over hurdles too.”

Dermot Weld’s Muzbid progressed from last month’s encouraging debut fourth to Gold Spinner at Cork to record a clear-cut triumph in the Ross Golf Course (C&G) Maiden. The Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned son of Lope De Vega was perfectly placed to challenge from the turn in and he had this race under control when striking for home with a quarter of a mile to run.

Pat Smullen’s mount entered the last furlong with a useful lead which he maintained to see off Diarist by three lengths.

“He was very green at Cork before coming home well and he was still a bit green tonight, so hopefully there’s more improvement to come from him,” reported the champion jockey.

The sparingly-campaigned Golden Dandy (8/1) improved on a recent second at Limerick by taking the older horses maiden under Ronan Whelan. The John Fogarty-owned relation to the Canadian Grade 1 scorer Becrux got the better of Pari Passu inside the distance to score by a length and a half. There was further woe for odds-on punters here as Silk Cravat (5/6) beat only two rivals home.

“She came to me from Paul Flynn and he did say to me that she’d win one. I’d say she’s just strengthened up,” reported Patrick Prendergast. “I was expecting heavy ground this morning and I would have taken her out if that was the case, but I’m glad I didn’t. I’d say she will stay further on better ground and we’ll see what the handicapper makes of her.”

Joseph O’Brien made it four winners for the meeting as Apparition (8/1), who is owned by the trainer’s mother Annemarie, secured the three-year-old handicap over a mile.

The Dream Ahead gelding coped well with the drop back from 10 furlongs following his third to Act Of Valour at Roscommon last week and he overhauled the front running Hushing about 150 yards from home. Donnacha O’Brien’s mount then edged out the top weight Magen’s Moon by a neck.

Oisin Orr registered his first success of the season as he got Path Of Silver (9/1) home by the narrowest of margins in the 45-65 rated handicap over a mile. The nine-race maiden, who showed a liking for this track with two runner-up finishes here last summer, quickened up smartly to lead at the furlong pole and she just held Laburnum Park.

“I think the jockey is going to give me heart failure, he’s ridden two winners for me and both have been by just half an inch. I said to him could you not win by a length?” quipped Dick Brabazon whose charge is owned by the Cafe Du Journal Syndicate. “You need everything to bounce your way at this level and it’s great to get a win with her.”

ACTING STEWARDS

P. Barry, Mrs. V. Cooper, O. Kearney, P.McLernon, H. Hynes

HORSE TO FOLLOW

ALLEGIO (D.G. Hogan): This four-year-old didn’t enjoy the smoothest of runs when taking fourth in the maiden won by Golden Dandy, and he would certainly have been closer with a smoother passage. He has shown promise in each of his three runs and can be placed to advantage this summer.