WHEN he wins Drop The Anchor certainly makes it count and he was produced in the form of his life by Pat Fahy to claim the last major prize of the domestic season when landing the €90,000 Colm White Bookmaker November Handicap.

The J.P. McManus-owned eight-year-old lined up as a completely unknown quantity on the flat having contested four maidens and he had been well held on his last two starts at Navan and the Curragh.

However, a Grade A handicap success over hurdles at Listowel and a Dublin Racing Festival success are testament to his abilities over jumps and he rediscovered that sparkle under Niall McCullagh to make the most of an initial rating of 80 on the flat.

From before halfway in this two-mile contest, Drop The Anchor (16/1) was noted creeping his way into contention. However, they all looked to have their work cut out when My Mate Mozzie struck for home and opened up a good lead early in the straight. Inside the distance though, My Mate Mozzie was clinging on as Drop The Anchor and Powerful Aggie closed in.

In the balance

The outcome still hung in the balance in the last 100 yards but in the last few strides Drop The Anchor forced his way to the front to prevail by a neck from My Mate Mozzie with Powerful Aggie the same distance away in third.

“He was tough, it’s great that he came back to himself as he was struggling to get his form back. He was running well but not getting anywhere and a lot of my horses were doing the same. That kind of makes up for the whole summer because I had very few horses to run,” commented Fahy.

“To get this last big handicap, I can’t believe it. He ground it out well. Niall gave him some ride. He’s in all summer so we’ll see what plans Frank (Berry, racing manager) has.”

Victory

After enduring a near miss in the day’s feature, Gavin Cromwell did enjoy better luck in the final race of the season as Dha Leath recorded her fourth victory of the campaign in the 10-furlong handicap.

This filly, who carries the colours of Gerard Clarke, posted a tremendous effort to finish fourth in a Curragh handicap on Irish Champions Weekend and she followed that with a good run in a decent Newmarket handicap last month.

Those efforts saw her returned the 4/1 joint favourite under Gary Carroll and she dug deep to get the better of New Hill after the pair went toe to toe over the last furlong. This made it an across the card treble for Cromwell who landed the first two races at Cork.

Yudish has a day to cherish

THE final day of the 2022 flat season was one to remember for apprentice Yudish Geerdharry who rode the first winner of his career aboard Johnny Murtagh’s Wave Machine in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Birdcatcher Premier Nursery.

This daughter of Shalaa was just her rider’s fifth mount of the season and she took advantage of a huge drop in class having contested the Cheveley Park Stakes last time.

A Curragh maiden winner three months ago, the Nick Bradley Racing Club-owned Wave Machine (9/1) cruised through this race tight to the far rail.

She moved to the head of the field with over a furlong to run and kept on nicely to finish a length and three quarters ahead of Executive Decision.

This success credited Murtagh with 44 wins for the season which is his best yet in terms of prize money and winners.

“I just thought claiming the 1lb off Wave Machine would give her a chance. She ran in a Group 1 last time and the ground was a bit quick. I said to Nick that the Birdcatcher would be a nice end of season target,” declared Murtagh.

“Yudish is a very good young lad. Hopefully you’re going to see a lot more of them over the winter months. Yudish’s Dad runs a restaurant in Dublin and the family are from Mauritius. This is his second year with me. He’s smart, intelligent, light and I think he’ll do well.”

Aidan Howard could have much to look forward to in 2023 with Magical Vision (14/1) who made it two wins from just three starts in the awardsandgifts.ie Handicap over the minimum trip.

Disadvantage

This five-year-old daughter of Dragon Pulse only made her debut in August and followed that solid run with a recent maiden win at Navan where she defeated Cavallo Pazzo, but she lined up here at a major disadvantage in terms of experience.

Flying colours

To her credit though, the Alana Insole-owned mare came through this test with flying colours under Shane Foley. She got to the front inside the distance and kept on well to hold off the unlucky lucking Jon Riggens by half a length.

On the day that he was crowned champion apprentice for the second time, Dylan Browne McMonagle took the Sobac Healthy Soil soil.ie Maiden on Eoin Doyle’s Cavallo Pazzo.

The 5/2 favourite was only just denied in a Navan sprint maiden last month and made no mistake over a trip just short of six furlongs.

The Two Plus Two Equals Syndicate-owned gelding was showing in front from around a quarter of a mile out and was in control, eventually defeating Diamondsinthesand by a length and a quarter.

Duke De Sessa completes a fine season

DUKE De Sessa wrapped up a fine autumn campaign as he signed off for the year by landing the Listed Finale Stakes. Already a Group 3 winner and unlucky in a Group 2 in France last time, the Dermot Weld inmate looked the one to beat and it couldn’t have gone much better for the Newtown Anner Stud-owned colt.

The 13/8 shot was ideally placed in behind fellow joint favourite Yaxeni from a long way out and it was all looking ominous when Chris Hayes angled him out off the rail to strike the front two furlongs out.

Duke De Sessa entered the final furlong with a nice lead but he needed the line as Sunchart was bearing down ominously late on and it was only by a short-head that the Roswell House inmate held off his unlucky opponent

“It was a very good performance from a three-year-old under top-weight. The second horse is a five-year-old and as Chris said it’s November ground,” commented Weld. “He’s performed well all year and he deserved to go out with a big win again. We’ll look forward to having a very major campaign with him next year. He’ll be doing a bit of travelling.”

After a memorable Breeders’ Cup assault Aidan O’Brien switched his attentions back to the home front with Sierra Blanca (8/11) who deservedly got off the mark in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over a mile. The 101-rated Group 3 runner-up looked to have been found a good opportunity from over two furlongs out Seamie Heffernan’s mount looked to have market rival Sprewell covered.

He mastered that rival early in the last furlong and asserted in likeable fashion to register a comfortable three and a quarter-length triumph. The in-form rider wound up his season with a fine 53-winner tally as a result of this victory.

Michael Halford’s fine end to the season continued into the mile conditions race as Cosmic Vega (15/2) and Ronan Whelan prevailed. The Long Inch Limited-owned son of Lope De Vega revels in testing conditions and looked very comfortable throughout.

The 94-rated gelding was travelling easily to lead entering the last quarter of a mile and took several lengths out of the field, winning by three-parts of a length in front of Emporio.