Tipperary Racing Scene
The association between trainer Robert Tyner and jockey Philip Enright dates back a long time, their first big win together was the old Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown in 2007 with Spring The Que. The bones of twenty years later, the pair are still churning out the winners with Poets Oath the latest in the 2m1f handicap hurdle at Cork on Thursday.
Over the last hurdle, success did not appear likely as Gino Bella (12-1) looked in command, but the stride of the latter shortened inside the final 100 yards while Enright kept up revs on his horse and snuck in by a neck as the 3-1 favourite.
“He was brave after the last hurdle and he kept galloping out. It’s a flat track here and he will get further in time,” Enright said.
Asked by Racing TV’s Johnny Ward about his relationship with the Tyner stable, he added: “Without him I wouldn’t be standing here today. Everything I have done as a jockey has been down to him and Mary. I couldn’t thank them enough.”
Enright landed a double for Cork connections when Mystic Malina won the handicap hurdle over three miles later in the afternoon thanks to a patient ride and the buttons being pressed at just the right time.
Trained by Donie Murphy, the winner was the subject of good support into 10-1 and was value for the three-lengths-plus margin.
“She travelled and jumped well. She appreciated the drier ground today. She didn’t have her conditions the last time at Naas,” Enright said.
Connections reportedly have a race circled for Mystic Malina at the Punchestown Festival.
The Fegentri handicap hurdle for amateur riders over three miles delivered a nice result for North Tipperary.
Templemore amateur Luke Barnett teamed up successfully with trainer Eddie Power, from Ballycahill near Thurles, when Stardhem was always doing enough in the closing stages to win by half a length at 10-1.
The winner was making his first start for Power, based now at Boley in Co Laois, having been purchased out of an online sale from English trainer Ben Pauling for just £2,500.
“He looked a lovely horse online, so we took a chance. He was cheap. He is enjoying life and we changed a few things with him.
He tried him at three miles today hoping for the best and it has worked out,” Power said on Racing TV.
Rider Barnett added: “I am very grateful Eddie for giving me the ride. He was jumping well and I didn’t want to break his rhythm. He got the job done and I am delighted.”
This time last year David Marnane’s filly Amemri was in a rich vein of form, winning five consecutive races over a six-month period. Then her form tapered off as she reached her ceiling in the handicap system.
Six previous visits to Dundalk this winter had been fruitless but she final came good on Friday night in the hands of Luke McAteer and dropped to rating of 57. Amemri won at 10-1 and by two lengths.
“That’s her tenth career victory. She had been out of form but she takes time to come to herself,” McAteer said.
“She is in the right grade again and hopefully she can win another one.”
Chris Hayes rode a double at Dundalk on Friday night when Keepsgettingbetter, making its handicap debut after three pretty plain runs in maiden company, got up late inside the final strides of the 3yo mile handicap.
It was trainer Donnacha O’Brien’s first winner of the new season and it came half a length at odds of 12-1.
“I rode her here the last day when she was clueless. Today she was still green but the pace was honest and I loved her attitude when I asked her,” Hayes said.
“She answered every call. Another two furlongs would be no problem to her and her temperament is second to none.”
On a night when racing close to the pace was no hindrance, Baila Conmigo pulled out all the stops to land the concluding handicap over an extended 10 furlongs.
Ben Coen was able to settle the winner in second position before asking for the maximum upon straightening for home.
Trainer Ciaran Murphy’s four-year-old had won for the jockey over a slightly longer trip two starts prior and the relationship bore fruit again as they won by just over a length.
Baila Conmigo returned a 15-2 chance.
It didn’t take long for Aidan O’Brien to get off the mark for the new season. After drawing a blank at the Curragh from four runners a week earlier, the Ballydoyle trainer went bang with three winners – all ridden by Ryan Moore – in four races.
Accredited (13-8) was responsible for the first success in the 7f maiden for three-year-old colts and geldings.
This is a horse that cost €1 million at the Arqana Breeze Up sale in Deauville last May so it’s reasonable to imagine expectations are fairly high.
Ryan Moore settled him just behind the past and though engaging into top gear was not entirely immediate, he was well on top at the line by a widening two lengths from the 11-10 favourite Sindagan, trained by Johnny Murtagh.
“We thought he was ready to start and he will improve for the run. Ryan said he would appreciate better ground and would have no problem going up to a mile. He has a lovely mind. We will look for a winners race now and then, hopefully, a stakes race.”
Causeway was the next to win for Ballydoyle, doing so in the Madrid Handicap. Three years ago, O’Brien sent out Paddington to win this race at the start of a season that yielded four Group 1 victories. It would surprise if Causeway managed to hit those heights as he was all out to defeat Controlled, sold from Ballydoyle last year to the Danny Murphy team on the Curragh, by a head at 13-8 favourite.
“You would be happy with what he did today. He carried a big weight and seven furlongs would be on the tight side for him. He should progress. He’s a big horse who is lightly raced and he is only going to improve,” Moore said on Racing TV.
Drop Dead Gorgeous made it three for O’Brien and Moore in the mile maiden for three-year-old fillies when she won by over a length as the even-money favourite.
This one has a sensational pedigree being by Dubawi out of the dam of, among others, the four-time Group 1 winner Gleneagles who is the sire of last year’s world champion Calandagan.
Drop Dead Gorgeous was always in a handy position and quickened sufficiently to win by over a length at even money favourite. She might be seen in an Oaks trial before too long.
Independent Expert ran out a poignant winner of the 7f handicap for older horses for trainer Denis Hogan and owner James McAuley whose uncle, the well-known racing figure Jim Gough died just eight days prior.
Gough’s orange silks are now carried by McAuley and are very frequent winners, especially with how prolific trainer Hogan has been over the winter at Dundalk.
Independent Expert was bought out of a claimer two starts prior before Christmas and obliged at generous odds of 25-1. She found plenty for pressure and won by half a length under a strong Joey Sheridan drive.
“Jim was laid to rest this week. He very good to us. Sceptical [Group 1 horse] was the big one for us but we had a good time. We had a lot of individual winners,” Hogan recalled.
On this winner, he added: “The lads are so good at buying these horses. They know the form inside out. This mare has done well back from a break. I think undercooked is better for her. She could go over the top quite easily. We might try to run her again while the ground is soft.”
Trainer Joseph O’Brien turned up at Naas with just three runners and went home two winners and a second, so not a bad day out all told.
Beset (11-4) was the pick of the winners, making all in the Listed Irish EBF Devoy Stakes in the colours of racing broadcasters Kevin Blake, Nick Luck et al.
This was a nice bit of talent spotting at the Horses in Training sales in Newmarket, buying her from an English stable for £25,000 at the end of 2024. Since then, she has earned around €100,000 on the track for her connections.
Declan McDonogh partnered Beset, a winner by three lengths from stable companion Lemsairbat.
The jockey later reported: “She was well prepared for today. It’s not really her bag being in front. She didn’t enjoy it, but she is genuine and tries hard. If you can quicken on ground like that, it is hard to get pegged back.”
Next thing for her will be to try and find a group race, provided the ground is soft.
O’Brien and McDonogh doubled up in the finale, a rated race over a mile in which just three runners went to post. The highest-rated of the trio was Hardy Warrior and he made virtually all at odds of 13-8, winning by over four lengths from Take Charge Star.
Clare trainer Michael McDonagh recorded another win at his favourite track when Krabat won again at Limerick on Sunday.
The eleven-year-old showed a liking for the Patrickswell course when winning there at Christmas and he followed up again in the 2m3f handicap with Thurles jockey Cian Quirke in the saddle. Krabat returned a 6-1 chance and won by over two lengths.
“Michael’s horses love it here,” Quirke said. “I knew at the second last I could win it.”
McDonagh added on Racing TV: “A winner for me here is like one for someone else at Cheltenham. I really enjoyed that.
I knew he would stay and it took a bit of getting in that ground.
Hopefully he could have a bit of fun in the summer. He’s out in the field every day and that keeps him fresh and well.”
UPCOMING MEETINGS
Thursday, March 26th - Clonmel (first race 3.12pm)
Friday, March 27th - Dundalk (first race 5.30pm)
Saturday, March 28th - Curragh (first race 1.20pm)
Sunday, March 29th - Downpatrick (first race 2.07pm)