Classics double for supreme O’Brien

Tipperary Racing Scene

Aidan O'Brien enjoyed one of his finest days as won the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes with Delacroix at Leopardstown and the Doncaster St Leger with Scandinavia, both 2/1 favourites, on Saturday.

The Tom Marquand-ridden Scandinavia held off Roger Varian’s Rahiebb to take the final British Classic of the season, with Stay True and Lambourn taking third and fourth place for O’Brien, with Carmers fifth home for Paddy Twomey.

Meanwhile on the opening day of Irish Champions Festival at Leopardstown, Delacroix’s success, a thirteenth win in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes for O’Brien, was the highlight of a treble on the card for the champion trainer and Christophe Soumillon.

He made his move on the inside turning for home and headed for the stands’ side rail when leading from the two-furlong pole to beat British raider Anmaat, ridden by Chris Hayes for trainer Owen Burrows, by three-parts of a length.

Soumillon was also in the saddle as 1/2 favourite Diamond Necklace impressed with a two and a quarter-length win over Jack Channon’s Sukanya in the opening Listed Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes, and the Belgian jockey also partnered Benvenuto Cellini, another 1/2 favourite, to a five-length win over Joseph O'Brien’s Hardy Warrior in the Group 2 KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes.

Ben Coen completed a double for trainer Johnny Murtagh who kicked off with success in the seven-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Sovereign Path Handicap for the six-year-old Rahmi which was ridden by Meath apprentice Rory Mulligan. The 14/1 chance came from the back of the field, and he led inside the final furlong to win by a length and a quarter from British raider Glenfinnan, trained by Michael Dods.

Murtagh’s improver Alakazi then saw off a couple of more locally trained rivals to win the Group 2 Tonybet Solonaway Stakes in the hands of Coen. The 7/2 chance led a furlong out to beat Ger Lyons’ Mutasarref by a length and a quarter.

Donnacha O'Brien later bagged his own winner as the Paddy Harnett-ridden Happy Pharoah took the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Petingo Handicap over 13 furlongs. Owned by Frank Lynch, the 9/1 chance led inside the final furlong to pip Aidan O'Brien’s Light As Air by a head.

The Ronan Whelan-ridden Precise led home a 1-2 for Aidan O'Brien landed in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes on the second day of Irish Champions Festival at the Curragh on Sunday.

O’Brien ran three in the race, and while Christophe Soumillon could only manage fourth place on his even-money favourite Composing, Whelan had a day to remember as 11/2 chance Precise led well inside the final furlong to beat Beautify, ridden by Dylan Browne McMonagle, by three-parts of a length.

Johnny Murtagh made it three winners over the two days when the Ben Coen-ridden Shaool took the 10-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Northfields Handicap in fine style. Two and a half lengths was the winning margin as the 11/2 chance beat Michael Bell’s raider Tony Montana, by two and a half lengths in the colours of the Broadfield Group Syndicate.

Earlier in the week, Killenaule’s Julie Cashin landed her first racecourse winner in two and a half years as the 20/1 chance Navy Waves took the opening division of the two and three-quarter-mile handicap hurdle at Galway.

Ridden by Ryan Treacy, the seven-year-old led after the final hurdle to beat the Philip Fenton-trained Southgate Avenue by two and a quarter lengths.

In what was to turn out to be a huge week for Aidan O'Brien, the champion trainer sent out his first winner as the Ronan Whelan-ridden Piazza San Marco took the eight-furlong maiden for two-year-olds at Galway on Tuesday.

A strong 6/5 favourite, he made all the running for a cosy three and a quarter-length win over the Dermot Weld-trained Hamiyan.

But the headlines on the evening went to Paddy Twomey who shared two winners with Billy Lee as the Limerick man made his return to the saddle after a near eight-week absence through injury.

The pair landed the eight-furlong rated race with the Ballylinch Stud-owned Iowa City which got up in the closing stages to pip Gerry Keane’s front-running favourite Genuine Article by three-parts of a length.

Better was to come as they took the 12-furlong Listed race with the Moyglare Stud-owned La Isla Mujeres. A well-supported 9/4 favourite, she led at halfway and asserted in the straight to beat the Jessica Harrington-trained Bonnie Moon by three and a half lengths.

Aidan O'Brien was also on the mark at Cork the following afternoon where the Jack Cleary-ridden Charles Fort won the six-furlong maiden for two-year-olds in great style. The 11/8 favourite made all the running and came home a four-length winner from the Ger Lyons-trained Strike Zone.

Cleary completed a double when winning on the Kieran Cotter-trained Gerrit’s Gem in the following handicap over the same distance.

Paddy Twomey and Billy Lee added to their Galway winners as Black Caviar Gold took the seven-furlong fillies’ maiden. The 100/30 chance led over two furlongs out to beat the O’Brien-trained River Ara by three lengths.

The Eight Star Syndicate-owned Zaraahmando won the eight-furlong handicap for Andy Slattery and Ben Coen. At odds of 15/2, the three-year-old led over two furlongs out and held Martin Hassett’s Secret Magician by half a length.

Denis Hogan and Joey Sheridan won the nine-furlong handicap with the 4/1 chance Justenzia at Clonmel on Thursday. In the Premier Racing Club colours, the three-year-old battled well from the two-furlong pole to beat the Charles O’Brien-trained Miss America by a length and a quarter.

Shane Foley completed a treble on Eamonn O’Connell’s Chou Chou which won the second of the nine-furlong handicaps. Owned by the We Built This City Syndicate, the 4/1 chance led inside the final furlong to beat Jarlath Fahey’s front-running favourite Warazam by three-parts of a length.

Foley was earlier a winner Ken Condon’s So Golden and the Jessica Harrington-trained Iron Fist.

Edward O'Grady was very much in mind as Priory Park made a winning debut for Thurles trainer Eddie Power in the two and three-quarter-mile handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe on Friday.

The nine-year-old was a three-time winner for the late trainer and he only joined Power in recent weeks. Ridden by Eoin Staples, the 7/1 chance made a winning start for new connections when racing to a six and a half-length win over the Philip Rothwell-trained Down Around.

The Ray Hackett-trained Littlebiggie won the mares’ beginners' chase by the same margin, but at odds of 3/1. Owned and bred by Siobhan Hogan, the Daniel King-ridden eight-year-old led at the third-last fence and was well on top as she saw off Declan Queally’s odds-on favourite Mozzies Sister.

David Doyle captured the concluding bumper on the Mark Fahey-trained Governors Rock. The 6/1 chance raced up with the pace and kicked on from the two-furlong pole to win by five and a half lengths from Gordon Elliott’s even money favourite Blue Waters.

Upcoming Meetings

Naas – Thursday, September 18 (First race 2.07pm)

Downpatrick – Friday, September 19 (First race 2.11pm)

Dundalk – Friday, September 19 (First race 5.25pm)

Navan – Saturday, September 20 (First race 2.00pm)

Gowran Park – Saturday, September 20 (First race 2.16pm)

Listowel – Sunday, September 21 (First race 2.28pm)