Business as usual in Ballydoyle
Tipperary Racing Scene
Despite one or two glitches, a sense of ‘business as usual’ surrounds the Ballydoyle team as the new Flat season gains momentum. A double at Naas on Monday week last supported this contention
In the opening juvenile fillies’ maiden, the newcomer Victorious (100-30) made a good impression in the final furlong, lengthening well, almost two lengths clear of Aedhmar (5-2) at the line.
Connections later suggested she would return to Naas for the Royal Ascot trials meeting at the same track on Sunday, May 17th before a tilt at the Albany Stakes at Ascot in June.
O’Brien and the Coolmore team added to the tally when Mission Central defeated his elders in the Listed Woodlands Stakes by three-parts of a length at odds of 13-2.
It is not easy for three-year-olds to get the better of older, more battle-hardened sprinters at this time of the year, so perhaps this form should be taken seriously. The 84-rated Likedbymike ran second and the first two home were both drawn high.
“We thought he might be a King’s Stand [Gr.1-5f] horse for Royal Ascot beforehand. Ryan was a bit surprised, he said he had really progressed from last year. We gelded him, maybe prematurely, but he is a lovely, sound, very quick horse,” O’Brien said on Racing TV.
Glyfada won the closing ten-furlong maiden for fillies on Monday at Naas for trainer Donnacha O’Brien and jockey Chris Hayes.
The promising three-year-old finished second on her debut at the start of April at the Curragh and went one better in the colours of American owners Skara Glen Stables.
Victory did not come without a late scare, however. With a furlong to go, the race looked in safe keeping before Arietty, trained by Joseph O’Brien, got within a length of the 6-4 favourite who appeared to idle a little in front.
Glyfada is clearly highly thought of with Group 1 entries on her agenda in the summer.
The Uniquely Champion Hunters Chase produced a thriller early on Friday with jockey Rob James eliciting a final thrust from Wonderwall (9-2) to deny It’s On The Line a fourth straight success in the race.
“He’s brilliant, an unbelievable horse. It just didn’t happen for him in Cheltenham,” said winning trainer Sam Curling.
“I wanted to get another run into him before Cheltenham but they called off Lisronagh. It was kind of my fault that he wasn’t ready enough. He won well in Dromahane last time and Rob gave him a lovely ride there. He’s a funny old horse, he likes plenty of room and light. It probably suits him better here.”
True Love blew away any doubts about her stamina for the Group 1 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday with a fully authoritative display down the Rowley Mile.
Aidan O’Brien ran two fillies in the Classic with retained jockey Ryan Moore opting to ride Precise the 7-4 favourite and dual Group 1 heroine as a juvenile, including being proven at the distance.
True Love, meanwhile, had proven her wellbeing in a Guineas trial at Leopardstown a few weeks prior over seven furlongs when Moore rode her.
Both fillies were drawn either side of the big 19-runner field on Sunday and True Love was easily spotted on the near-side travelling well for Wayne Lordan with cover in midfield for the first half of the race.
She made headway before striking the lead with a furlong to race and though she hung a little to the right, 5-1 chance True Love had nearly two lengths to spare from 16-1 runner-up Evolutionist.
Lordan later said: “She is big and powerful. Today was an unknown because she showed so much pace last year. She relaxed beautifully for me and I was only biding my time, I did not want to get there too soon. I wouldn’t try her beyond a mile but they could come back in distance also as she has so much natural pace.”
O’Brien added: “It is very unusual for a Queen Mary [five furlongs, Royal Ascot, 2yo fillies] winner to win a Guineas. There are very few colts that would be as big as her. She has a great mind also.”
French import Royal Bay Cen careered away with the Listed Polonia Stakes, a sprint for three-year-old fillies, at Cork on Sunday on her first start for Johnny Murtagh.
Ridden by Ben Coen, the newcomer to Irish racing bolted up by nine lengths on soft ground at odds of 15-2.
Credit to owner and bloodstock agent David Skelly who sourced her for €20,000 in France in February. His investment has been richly rewarded.
Leading jockey Billy Lee made the journey to Sligo on Sunday a profitable one with a 90-1 treble. Two winners arrived for his regular supporter Paddy Twomey with another for Gavin Cromwell in the final race.
Lee appears to have a good chance of winning the jockeys’ championship for the first time this year – with a little luck. He starts the week tied at the top of the standings on 14 winners alongside Joey Sheridan and Colin Keane.
Lee’s treble began when County Carlow readily justified odds of 10-11 favourite in the extended six-furlong maiden for Twomey. Lady Mairen was another winner for the combination in the fillies’ handicap over ten furlongs at an SP of 11-2 by a length and a half.
The treble landed when Misty Cove pulled two lengths clear in another ten-furlong handicap at 13-2 odds.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
Wexford (NH) – Thursday, May 7th (first race 5.02pm)
Downpatrick – Friday, May 8th (first race 5.00pm)
Ballinrobe – Friday, May 8th (first race 5.15pm)
Killarney (NH) – Saturday, May 10th (first race 1.22pm)
Naas – Saturday, May 9th (first race 1.33pm)
Leopardstown – Sunday, May 10th (first race 1.15pm)
Cork (NH) – Sunday, May 9the (first race 2.05pm)