Tipperary Racing Scene

One month earlier at the Punchestown Festival, Tinto De Verano was placing third at odds of 150-1. Last Monday week, dropped into a 2m6f maiden hurdle at Ballinrobe, he justified much shorter odds of 100-30 and did it well, too, winning by six lengths for Enniscorthy trainer Yvonne Latta.

Tipperary jockey Cian Quirke took the ride. Owned and bred by the Latta family, this horse might have a nice future and is reportedly on the market.

The Killenaule connection of trainer Andy Slattery and amateur jockey Adam Ryan struck in the bumper at Ballinrobe on Monday week last when A Stoirin backed up a promising debut a few weeks earlier.

The 11-8 favourite responded well to pressure to lead inside the final furlong by over four lengths and send punters home happy.

None were happier than the winning owner and breeder Dr Ronan Tynan, however. The renowned tenor stole the show and as he belted out the Ella Fitzgerald song ‘Summertime’ under clear blue skies at the Mayo track.

“I want to go to Galway with her but the Slattery clan want to give her a time-out,” Tynan said in a fine interview with Kevin O’Ryan on Racing TV.

“But sometimes the owner gets his way! I want to get to Galway. I don’t know if she is good enough, but we can only dream in this game! I birthed her myself. I pulled her out of a mare who was a savage! This is my first bumper winner ever and I am delighted. Especially to win at this beautiful track!”

Donegal jockey Luke McAteer enjoyed a double at Dundalk on Tuesday week last.

Jamestown provided the first leg as he won the seven-furlong auction maiden in the style of a horse that was just too good for the level.

Trained in Bansha by the jockey’s regular ally David Marnane this horse had travelled to Haydock to contest the Silver Cup on the Saturday prior, but the race was abandoned as a hole was found in the track owing to a drainage problem.

All the travel appeared not to faze him. Jamestown is clearly a pretty useful three-year-old and he won with ease by eight lengths at odds-on 8-11 favourite.

“He needed a run and I like him a lot. He will get further; he is a good racehorse. He is maybe one for Royal Ascot if he can get in,” Marnane said.

A lovely story surfaced at Dundalk last Tuesday when trainer Tanya Browne saddled her first winner with her very first runner as a licensed trainer.

Her son, apprentice Adam Browne-Souza, took the ride on the 20-1 chance Lamar Canyon who finished best in the five-furlong maiden for horses aged three and older. The winning margin was three-quarters of a length.

Lamar Canyon began his career with renowned trainer and breeze up consignor Willie Browne, father of Tanya, but did not show much in three starts last year as a juvenile.

“We always liked the horse and it is great that he has justified our belief in him. We gelded him and he settles better now. He is better mentally. He works really well at home. My mum is sick in hospital and I hope this helps her. She will be thrilled,” the trainer told Fran Berry in an interview on Racing TV.

“We only have two in training. I took out the licence so my son Adam could ride them and it is a wonderful result.”

This was the seventh winner of rider Browne-Souza’s career to date.

An eighth arrived in quick succession for local trainer Andy Slattery at Down Royal on Friday when Faoladh (5-1) won the seven-furlong handicap by just over a length.

Well-bred filly Believed obliged at the third time of asking in the twelve-furlong maiden at Dundalk on Tuesday for trainer Johnny Murtagh and his stable jockey Ben Coen.

Sired by the mighty Frankel and a half-brother to Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip, this three-year-old is owned by Qatar Racing.

She fairly hosed up, too, going in by over eight lengths and, as a result, looks well capable of adapting as she goes up in class.

Jockey Joey Sheridan left Dundalk last Tuesday with two winners in the bag to keep up the brisk tempo he has set in the early part of the season.

He teamed with Cloughjordan trainer Denis Hogan to win the claimer on River Liffey. The former Coolmore-owned trainee was winning his third claimer at the track in his last four starts and returned the 2-1 favourite.

Sheridan got on the scoresheet again when Kilcrea Rock (16-5) shaded the concluding ten-furlong maiden by half a length for his principal supporter Joseph O’Brien.

Harry Kelly is a man to follow these days. The Fethard trainer prepared the winners of three races from just five runners last week, beginning with Mickey Hulie (3-1), successful over hurdles for jockey Cian Quirke.

A pair of 7-1 winners followed in consecutive days at Tramore over the weekend. Femme Magnifique winning a handicap chase by four lengths under Danny Gilligan and Butch Coolidge proving a length or so too strong with Brian Hayes in the saddle.

“All roads lead to Ascot,” said trainer Paddy Twomey after Carmers won His Majesty’s Plate, a Listed race over two miles, at Down Royal on Friday.

Ridden by Billy Lee, the 5-6 favourite had over two lengths to spare from his nearest rival, Lafayette, and the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in just over two weeks is very much on the agenda.

Carmers won the Queen’s Vase at the big meeting last year so he has form on the biggest stage.

“He is a high-class stayer and the plan is pretty obvious for a horse like that. It is the Ascot Gold Cup, the Irish St Leger and the Melbourne Cup in Australia.

Joseph O’Brien and Joey Sheridan teamed up for a short-priced double in a couple of fillies maidens at Down Royal on Friday.

What About Us (2-1 favourite) won the seven-furlong contest in good style by over three lengths while Teologia took out the concluding ten-furlong event at odds of 15-8 favourite by just over a length. Teologia races in the colours of her Italian breeders the San Paolo Agri Stud.

Aidan O’Brien trained the first three past the post in the French Derby at Chantilly on Sunday as Constitution River led home a famous result for the Ballydoyle team.

Ridden by Ryan Moore, the 9-4 favourite defied a wide draw to defeat Hawk Mountain (11-2) by three-parts of a length with 36-1 Montreal, who made the running under Wayne Lordan and performed with great credit, a head further back in third.

The Ballydoyle trio controlled the pace throughout, racing in the three first places and accelerating clear in the home straight. Remarkably, it was another O’Brien horse, A Boy Named Susie, trained by Donnacha, that finished fourth at 37-1.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

The Curragh – Wednesday, June 3rd (first race 4.40pm)

Leopardstown – Thursday, June 4th (first race 5.30pm)

Fairyhouse – Friday, June 5th (first race 4.55pm)

Clonmel (NH) – Friday, June 5th (first race 5.05pm)

Punchestown (NH) – Saturday, June 6th (first race 1.50pm)

Punchestown (NH) – Sunday, June 7th (first race 1.22pm)

Navan – Sunday, June 7th (first race 1.42pm)