Tipperary Racing Scene

Tipperary Racing Scene

The Equator led home a 1-2 for trainer Aidan O'Brien in the 10-furlong maiden at a well-attended student day at Leopardstown on Wednesday.

Ridden by Wayne Lordan, the 7/2 chance scored in most impressive fashion before a crowd of 12,883, pulling clear inside the final furlong to beat his own stable companion and odds-on favourite Ortelius, ridden by Ryan Moore, by three and a quarter lengths.

Harry Swan helped out as Gordon Elliott, a Grade 1 winner with the Jack Kennedy-ridden Gerri Colombe at Aintree on the same afternoon, landed and first and last race double at Limerick’s student day on Thursday.

While Danny Gilligan partnered Doctor Nightingale to take the opening four-year-old fillies’ maiden hurdle, Swan stepped up to partner Neon Diamond in the concluding bumper. He got to the front over a furlong from the finish and pulled clear to record a three and a quarter-length success over the Marie Harding-trained Grainne A Chroi.

Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien shared the first of their weekend winners as the newcomer Mundi landed the eight-furlong maiden for three-year-olds at Dundalk on Friday evening.

A full-brother to dual 2,000 Guineas hero Churchill, the 7/2 chance led passing the two-furlong pole and he comfortably held the late challenge of the Natalia Lupini-trained Dairago by half a length.

Earlier in the evening, Transcending Glory won the six-furlong maiden for Ben Coen and Johnny Murtagh. He made every yard of the running and came home a length clear of Joseph O'Brien’s favourite Spanish Cara in the colours of the Kildare Racing Club and the Kilmichael Racing Syndicate.

The Longevity Racing Club were next into the winners’ enclosure as the Denis Hogan-trained El Bello took the seven-furlong handicap under Daniel King. The 15/2 chance appeared to have a little in hand as he held Ted Walsh’s favourite Ferrybank by a length, his third success at the track.

Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien landed a double on the eight-race card at Dundalk on Saturday, but first off the mark was Donnacha O'Brien who recorded his first success of the season as the newcomer Usdi Atohi took the two-year-old maiden over five furlongs. Gavin Ryan made all the running on the 7/2 chance to pip Adrian Murray’s California Dreamer, the odds-on favourite, by a head.

At the same price, Port Fairy gave the Ballydoyle duo their first win on the day when, at the main expense of Donnacha O'Brien’s Lady Doris, taking the 10-furlong median auction fillies’ maiden. It was tight again at the line with just a neck between the first two horses home with a length and a half back to Joseph O'Brien’s favourite Evening Blossom in third place.

Moore and Aidan O'Brien rounded off the session with their second winner as favourite London City scored in the 10-furlong maiden. He led over a furlong from the finish to beat Andy Oliver’s Ozark Daze by a length and a half.

David Marnane’s good run of form continued as the eight-year-old Jered Maddox landed his second win at the track in the space of just eight days in the five-furlong handicap. Again, ridden by Luke McAteer, the 6/1 chance came from a little off the pace to lead early inside the final furlong and he raced clear to beat Willie Browne’s Pro Bono Alexander by two and a quarter lengths.

Paddy Twomey and his great ally Billy Lee combined to win the six-furlong maiden with Heart Of Darkness. In the colours of the late Lady O’Reilly, the 6/4 chance led over a furlong from the finish and held off the Andy Slattery-trained Ojw Legacy by a neck.

A good night for Tipperary trainers continued as Michael Browne’s Suityourselfboss took the opening division of the eight-furlong handicap. Ridden by Wayne Hassett, the Aircon Syndicate-owned 7/1 shot raced clear inside the final furlong to beat the Marnane-trained Alabama Calling by an easy three and three-parts of a length.

AINTREE

A terrific three days for Irish raiders at Aintree was topped by the success of joint-favourite I Am Maximus in the Randox Grand National on Saturday.

He ran out a most impressive seven and a half-length winner to give Willie Mullins a second victory in the race and Paul Townend a first taste of victory in the showpiece event. Mullins was previously a winner with Hedgehunter in 2005 and his latest success gave owner JP McManus his third win after Don’t Push It in 2010 and Minella Times in 2021.

Better again, the latest renewal of the race resulted in a 1-2-3-4 for Irish-trained runners with Gordon Elliott’s Delta Work taking the runner-up spot ahead of Henry de Bromhead’s Minella Indo and Galvin, another Elliott runner.

In all there were ten Irish-trained winners at the meeting. On Thursday, Willie Mullins scored with Il Etait Temps and Impaire Et Passe, both ridden by Paul Townend, while Gordon Elliott won with the Jack Kennedy-ridden Gerri Colombe and Emmet Mullins was successful with It’s On The Line and Derek O'Connor.

Friday saw Irish-trained wins for Gavin Cromwell’s Inothewayurthinkin, ridden by Mark Walsh, and two from the Willie Mullins stable, the Walsh-ridden Mystical Power and Dancing City, another for Paul Townend. Either side of the Grand National success for I Am Maximus, Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy were winners with Brighterdaysahead and Found A Fifty at Aintree on Saturday.

Upcoming Meetings

Clonmel – Thursday, April 18 (First Race 4.00pm)

Limerick – Friday, April 19 (First Race 4.45pm)

Ballinrobe – Friday, April 19 (First Race 5.07pm)

Curragh – Saturday, April 20 (First Race 1.40pm)

Curragh – Sunday, April 21 (First Race 1.50pm)

Tramore – Sunday, April 21 (First Race 2.05pm)