Tipperary Racing Scene

Jake Coen rode winners for Joseph O'Brien and County Cavan trainer Patrick Magee at Ballinrobe on Monday.

He landed the first leg of his double when partnering O'Brien’s Dark Note to win the opening apprentice claiming race. The favourite led well before the straight and held off the challenge of the Joe Murray-trained Girl Crush to win by three-parts of a length. There were ten claims made for the winner and he joins trainer Andy Slattery.

Cavan trainer Patrick Magee saddled Arch Enemy to win the three-year-old handicap over the extended nine furlongs, with Coen getting up in the final stride to pip the Kevin Prendergast-trained Butterfly Garden by a short head. The joint-favourite runs in the colours of the Black Steel Square Syndicate.

Paddy Twomey gave Billy Lee the first of his two winners as Kirati Beach took the nine-furlong maiden. The 85/40 chance made much of the running and battled well to hold the O'Brien-trained favourite Explorers Way by a neck.

Lee’s double was completed as he partnered the Hilary McLoughlin-trained favourite Ms Eagleton to a one and a half-length success in the nine-furlong maiden. He beat Colin Keane on True Artist to the line and ended the day with a five-winner lead in the jockeys’ title race over the current champion.

Jake Coen played a starring role once again at Sligo on Tuesday where he secured his second double in two days. He won the six-furlong fillies and mares’ handicap on the Pat Murphy-trained Craft Irish, the J & J Racing Partnership-owned favourite winning by half a length from Lopes Gold, ridden for Jessica Harrington by Shane Foley.

Ross O'Sullivan supplied Coen with his second winner as Gracesolution took the ten-furlong handicap. The five-year-old headed the Conor O'Dwyer-trained front-runner Barretstown inside the final furlong to score by three-parts of a length.

Fethard trainer Willie Browne won the six-furlong maiden with the Wayne Lordan-ridden De Velara at Naas on Wednesday. The 7/2 chance, owned by John McNally, recovered from an early stumble to beat the Ger Lyons-trained Plankton by an easy four lengths.

Lordan made it two winners on the night when taking the Listed Naas Oaks Trial on the Aidan O'Brien-trained Galleria Borghese. This time he made all the running on the 12/1 chance which battled well to see off the Jessica Harrington-trained Alizarine by half a length.

Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore shared their first winner of Irish Derby weekend as Never Ending Story landed the seven-furlong fillies’ maiden at the Curragh on Friday evening. A strong favourite, she looked full of promise when beating the Joseph O'Brien-trained Sandy Creek by a length and a quarter.

Ben Coen and Johnny Murtagh shared a significant winner at the Curragh on Saturday as Shartash scored a last-gasp success in the Group 2 Gain Railway Stakes. In the colours of his owner/breeder HH Aga Khan, the 9/1 chance led in the final stride to deny Aidan O'Brien’s favourite Blackbeard by a shorthead.

Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore put the disappointment of Tuesday’s effort in the Irish Derby behind them to win Group 3 International Stakes over ten furlongs with Aikhal. Moore had the outsider of the seven-runner field, in front with over two furlongs to race and he came home a four and a quarter-length winner from the Dermot Weld-trained Duke De Sessa.

Paddy Twomey landed a much-deserved Group 1 success as La Petite Coco made a winning return in the Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

On her first start in 287 days, the Team Valor-owned four-year-old put up a terrific display under Billy Lee to beat British raider My Astra by half a length, with Rosscarbery taking third spot for the Cashel trainer only to be disqualified when Wayne Lordan weighted in 5lbs light, a matter that has been referred to the IHRB.

Twomey said of his winner, “We were keen to start at home, we didn’t really want to travel for her first run. The Yorkshire Oaks is something we’ll consider, the Fillies and Mares’ at Ascot, the Arc, the Breeders’ Cup maybe and Hong Kong. That sort of line up.”

Aidan O'Brien and his son Donnacha fought out the finish to the Group 2 Airlie Stud Stakes with Aidan’s Statuette landing the honours with a three-parts of a length success over Badb. The Ryan Moore-ridden favourite had a little in hand over the 25/1 outsider of the field as she added to an impressive winning debut at Navan a month ago.

Runner-up with Piz Badile to Westover in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby on Saturday, Donnacha took the opening seven-furlong maiden with Proud And Regal. Ridden by Killian Leonard, the 16/1 chance led inside the final furlong to beat the Dermot Weld-trained Tiverton by three-parts of a length.

Carrick-On-Suir trainer Kevin Coleman took the six-furlong handicap with Coumshingaun, the first of two winners on the day for local apprentice Jamie Powell. In the colours of the trainer’s mother Eileen, the 10/1 shot recorded a tidy one and three-parts of a length win over the Johnny Levin’s-trained Nordic Passage, although 3lbs out of the handicap proper.

Cougar landed a double for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore when wining the concluding ten-furlong maiden at odds of 10/11 favourite.

Upcoming Meetings

Tipperary – Wednesday, June 29 (First Race 5.10pm)

Tipperary – Thursday, June 30 (First Race 5.00pm)

Bellewstown – Thursday, June 30 (First Race 5.10pm)

Wexford – Friday, July 1 (First Race 5.15pm)

Bellewstown – Friday, July 1 (First Race 5.28pm)

Naas – Saturday, July 2 (First Race 2.00pm)

Bellewstown – Saturday, July 2 (First Race 5.05pm)

Tramore – Sunday, July 3 (First Race 2.00pm)