Tipperary Racing Scene

Firebrand made every yard of the running in the opening maiden hurdle at Galway on Monday of last week.

Twelve times trainer John Nallen’s gelding had tried over hurdles without success, but blinkers applied for the first time appeared to make a significant difference. Alan O’Sullivan steered Firebrand, making all the running, to a success of over four lengths at odds of 100-30.

It hasn’t been the easiest of seasons for trainer Joe Murphy, but he was thrilled to get one of his stable stars Lord Massusus back in the winners’ enclosure at Galway.

The six-year-old had not won for about 18 months and that came in a Listed race. In the interim, he was quite some way up the ratings and last Tuesday’s race represented a notable drop in grade from the premier handicaps he had been contesting.

Gary Carroll was winning on his old partner for the eighth time. They did so comfortably by four lengths at 5-1.

“Seeing him win again, it’s like the phoenix rising!” Murphy said.

“He just needed to come down in the handicap. He’s not ungenuine, but he has probably got clever and the blinkers fixed that today.”

Marco Polo, the prohibitively odds-on 1-8 favourite, made light work of the colts and geldings maiden at Cork on Wednesday.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, this juvenile had started favourite for the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at York in August but did not live up to expectations.

He would have gained confidence by the way he performed at the Mallow track, however, finishing upwards of five lengths clear of the remainder. The Night Of Thunder colt may yet redeem himself with some more big race entries in the pipeline in the near future.

Tokyo Treasure edged a tight finish to the six-furlong sprint at Cork on Wednesday to provide a boost to Bagnalstown trainer Pat Foley.

Jockey Joey Sheridan kept his mount hard along the grandstand rail only found the lead in the final stride or two, prevailing by a neck from Nouvel Espoir.

A first win in eight starts for Tokyo Treasure, dropping back in distance here from seven furlongs, arrived at odds of 11-1. He is reportedly for sale and his overall profile should make him of interest to new connections.

Alpine Wedding put her experience to good use by making virtually all of the running in the juvenile fillies’ maiden at Cork on Wednesday.

Paddy Twomey’s filly cleared away by over three lengths under Billy Lee as a 100-30 chance. The ease of the success made one wonder how she had placed only once in her four previous starts. On inspection, she had faced a wide draw on her previous start at Gowran and ran with credit in a Listed race also.

She is in the hugely valuable Goffs million at the end of the month and regardless of how she fares there, Alpine Wedding could turn out to be a nice filly next year as she develops further.

Initial Blue fulfilled a bucket-list ambition for American Staton Flurry to be present for a winner in his distinctive silks at Laytown.

The Arkansas-based owner tasked Dunboyne trainer Jack Davison with finding a horse that could be competitive on the beach, prompting bloodstock agent Barry Lynch to source the gelding for £16,000 at Newmarket in July.

Encouraged by his preparation, Davison recently suggested to Flurry that he make the trip across the Atlantic to see his new acquisition in the flesh.

The dream result eventuated as Initial Blue made all in the hands of Harry Swan, the 14-1 chance hanging on by a head at the line.

Swan took the riding honours at Laytown with a 140-1 double, the second leg courtesy of Hygge (17-2) in the closing handicap for amateur riders.

A winner over hurdles two runs prior, Gordon Elliott’s gelding had little trouble dropping back markedly in trip to seven furlongs.

Swan rode a brave race as he ran very close to some marker poles on the inside of the track, but once he found clear running he kicked Hygge well clear by four lengths where it mattered.

Trainer Donncha Duggan, based on the Cork/Limerick border north of Kildorrery, was among the winners at Ballinrobe last Friday when Luck Between Us (7-1) ground out a half-length result in the 2m6f handicap hurdle.

The races at the Mayo meeting were confined to jockeys who had not ridden more than 15 winners last season and Niall Moore took his opportunity.

“He enjoyed himself out in front. He is a bit of baby still and he hangs a bit to the left so he will probably be better on a left-handed track, but he has plenty of improvement in him,” the Gortnahoe pilot said.

Trainer Andy Slattery and amateur rider Adam Ryan have been operating at a good strike rate in bumper races over past two months. Iron Sword became the fourth success shared together when the 6-5 favourite ran to a comfortable break of four lengths at Ballinrobe on Friday.

Making just his third career start, the French-bred had been an unlucky loser previously, the victim of some scrimmaging at a crucial stage.

Only five horses went to post at the Mayo track and Iron Sword made every yard of the running and could be of interest when he goes over hurdles in the near future.

Ballydoyle colt Darkness Falls looked a genuine star of the feature when bolting up in the inaugural running of the HKJC World Pool Golden Fleece Stakes, the first Group 1 staged at the Irish Champions Festival at Leopardstown on Saturday.

Heavily backed into an even-money favourite, Ryan Moore settled the son of Camelot in a midfield position until the field swung for home in the nine-furlong contest.

The acceleration which followed had the race settled by the furlong pole and Darkness Falls coasted home over four lengths clear.

Jesus Green (12-1) stayed on very well from the tail of the field for second in the hands of Colin Keane for trainer Joseph O’Brien. Quest For Stars (15-2), representing Godolphin, ran third.

Quotes of 8-1 for next year’s Epsom Derby were not long in surfacing as regards Darkness Falls.

“He was very impressive at the Curragh the last day. Ryan said he will get a mile and a quarter next year. The trip will be no problem. He has a lot of class. It was a proper gallop and there was no hiding place,” trainer Aidan O’Brien said.

As regards future plans, he added: “He can go anywhere. He is not going to need soft ground. He is a Camelot who is going to be a Guineas horse plus and that’s the way his Dad was.”

Fethard trainer Joe Murphy’ s difficult season took a huge step in the right direction when Immutable prevailed in the Irish EBF Petingo Handicap at Leopardstown on Saturday.

The 25-1 chance, ridden by Luke McAteer, got the better of the Joseph O’Brien-trained Yousaynothingatall (6-1) by a neck at the end of a very competitive race.

“He is a lovely horse to have. Now he gets into the Cesarewitch and I can dream about the Galway Hurdle next year with him,” Murphy said.

Referring to his quieter than normal season, he added: “The great thing about the down is that there is always an up! Every human emotion comes with dealing with horses for as long as I have and you learn to deal with them all.”

Rebel Wave (7-1) continued her march through the ranks, bringing up a hat-trick of wins in the valuable Autumn Fillies’ Premier Handicap to close Leopardstown’s card on Saturday.

Willie McCreery’s three-year-old only shed her maiden tag in July and here she defeated Chica Guerrera, trained by Mark Fahey, by half a length at the end of the extended mile event.

Part-owner John O’Connor of Ballylinch Stud said: “Willie believes she will be able to go to stakes level.”

McCreery was in Toronto, Canada with his star mare Jancis ran third in the Grade 1 E.P Taylor Stakes at Woodbine, beaten just a neck.

Aidan O’Brien took two of the four Group 1 races at the Curragh’s Irish Champions Festival card on Sunday courtesy of one coming force and one potential legend.

Sun Goddess was a class apart as she blitzed her rivals in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes. The brilliant daughter of Sioux Nation was winning her second top-level race of the season, having also won the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes last month.

There was very brief period about halfway through that one wondered if Sun Goddess would find the gear required as she tackled seven furlongs for the first time.

But just as she had done last time at York – and against much better opposition here – she quickly found her stride under Ryan Moore and breezed home over six lengths clear.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien has now saddled the winner of the juvenile fillies’ showpiece 12 times. Few, if any, could have been as impressive as this.

“She looks a freak, really,” the Ballydoyle maestro said of the 4-7 favourite.

“It is unusual what she is doing. We are giving her big targets all the time. She is a Guineas filly for next year, but she could go back to six for the Cheveley Park in two weeks.”

In the final Classic of the season, the Group 1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger, Scandinavia did what he always does. He got the job done. No nonsense, just winning.

That the final Group 1 of seven staged at the highest level over Irish Champions Festival went to Ballydoyle’s mighty stayer came as no surprise. He returned the 4-11 favourite.

But there is a growing sense the Justify colt, aged just four, has the potential to become one of the staying greats of the modern era.

The likes of Yeats, Stradivarius and Kyprios have set a very high bar, but few can argue with the trajectory Scandinavia is on. This was his eighth straight victory with five of those at Group 1 level.

Scandinavia raced in second behind his pacesetting stable companion Queenstown, supplemented late into the lineup.

Ryan Moore found the lead inside the two-furlong pole and from there it was plain sailing. The best stayer in the business won by two lengths from Queenstown with Jan Brueghel completing a 1-2-3 for Ballydoyle.

“He has an unbelievable amount of stamina, high-cruising stamina. Ryan says he really only kicks in at about 1m6f. He just stays and gallops. The ground there was probably as soft as it he wants it,” O’Brien said.

“We will see what the lads want to do with him next. Maybe we will bring him back next year and send Queenstown to the Prix du Cadran. Maybe Jan Breughel could go for the Champion Stayers’ race at Ascot. It all has to be decided.”

Comanche Brave staked strong claims to Champion Sprinter honours at the end of the season with a late burst in the Group 1 Bar 1 Betting Flying Stakes.

Following on from his victory in the Group 1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket, Comanche Brave was much the best in Ireland’s highest-ranking sprint contest.

Billy Loughnane’s mount was full of running but waiting for a gap either side of the final furlong marker. Once clear running presented itself, Comanche Brave, the 5-2 favourite, settled the contest in a matter of strides. The winning margin was a length and a quarter, but it could have been a good deal more.

American Affair and Rumstar ran second and third respectively for British stables.

Donnacha O’Brien has reinvented Comanche Brave from Group 2 miler to Group 1 sprinter. He began the year racing over a mile in Abu Dhabi before dropping back in distance. This was his first run over the minimum trip.

The title of Europe’s best sprinter now appears to rest between him and Almeraq, who also has two Group 1 wins on his CV for trainer William Haggas.

“He is getting better and faster. Billy said just there that five is definitely his trip,” Donnacha said.

“The Breeders’ Cup is a possible for him next. I will have to speak to his owner, Mr Almuhaideb, but there is a chance he could stay in training next year, too.”

24 hours on from conquering the Group 1 St Leger at Doncaster a day earlier, Joseph O’Brien’s stellar season continued with a treble at the Curragh on Sunday. The highlight arrived when Folsom Blues turned the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes into a one-act affair.

Joey Sheridan, riding the second Group 1 winner of his career, had his rivals covered approaching the furlong pole. Once asked to seal the deal, the Blue Point colt tore away by six lengths. Stable companion Monogram stayed on from the rear of the field to take second. Florida Bay ran third for Aidan O’Brien.

“When this horse relaxes, he is a fair jet. Joseph has done some job with him. The last two weeks he has just relaxed. I rode him here at a launch for this meeting the other week and he did everything right. To ride a Group 1 winner for this team, I can’t believe it,” Sheridan said.

“I was aware how good Monogram is and that could be chasing me, so I didn’t want to go early and give him a lead until the half-furlong. I took a quick look at the big screen and when I saw he wasn’t coming, it was great!”

Folsom Blues’ emphatic triumph also paid a huge compliment to Aidan O’Brien’s Sun Goddess who defeated him in the Group 1 Keeneland Stakes last month.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

Naas – Thursday, September 17th (first race 1.50pm)

Downpatrick (NH) – Friday, September 18th (first race 2.12pm)

Dundalk – Friday, September 18th (first race 5.25pm)

Navan (NH) – Saturday, September 19th (first race 1.42pm)

Gowran Park – Saturday, September 19th (first race 2.06pm)

Listowel (NH) – Sunday, September 20th (first race 2.18pm)

Listowel – Monday, September 21st (first race 1.23pm)

Fairyhouse – Monday, September 21st (first race 3.25pm)

Listowel – Tuesday, September 22nd (first race 1.47pm)