Big Bear crowns big week for O’Brien

Out of luck with favourite Dame Kiri in the opening contest, Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore won the eight-furlong maiden at Naas on Bank Holiday Monday with Denmark.

A 7/2 chance, he could hardly have been more impressive on his racecourse debut when winning by three and a quarter lengths from the Joseph O'Brien-trained Warrior Lion.

Joey Sheridan maintained trainer Johnny Levins’ fine run of form as he partnered the Saffron Star Syndicate-owned Showmolina to win the apprentice handicap. A strong 3/1 favourite, the five-year-old led after halfway and raced clear over a furlong from the finish to beat the O’Leary-trained Born Invincible by two and a half lengths.

Rachael Blackmore rode the easiest winner at Cork on Bank Holiday Monday where the Ray Cody-trained Watch The Weather landed the two-mile three-furlong handicap hurdle. Owned by Sean Connors, the 10/1 chance had loads in hand as he eased clear early on the run in to beat Paul Flynn’s The Big Chap by all of seven lengths and there was little surprise as the six-year-old followed up with a cosy success, again with Blackmore in the saddle, at Wexford on Friday. An even money favourite this time, he beat the Pat O’Donnell-trained Florey Spud, by a length.

It was easier again for Blackmore who was also a winner at Roscommon on Tuesday when taking the two-mile maiden hurdle on the Henry de Bromhead-trained Rioga Choice. It was a runaway success for the strong favourite which led before the third last hurdle and went right away to win by seventeen lengths from Gordon Elliott’s Come On Du Berlais.

Jockey Andrew Slattery was a winner again when partnering the Fozzy Stack-trained In The Giving to win the nursery handicap at Sligo on Wednesday. He added to his Galway festival success on Flame Of Eire, trained by his father Andy, when bringing the well-backed chance home a three and a quarter-length winner from the James Barrett-trained Camilla Gherardini.

Joey Sheridan rode his second winner of the week as the Denis Hogan-trained Cedar Rapids won the opening seven-furlong claiming race at Leopardstown on Thursday. The 13/2 chance came through late on to score by three-parts of a length from the James McAuley-trained favourite Mischief Star and McAuley himself claimed the winner.

Amy Jo Hayes rode the fifth winner of her career when taking the handicap over the same distance won Andy Slattery’s Sunset Nova. The 12/1 chance, owned by the Men Of Forty-Eight Syndicate, raced clear early inside the final furlong to beat Denis Hogan’s Royal Tribute by two and a quarter lengths.

Nathan Crosse won the second division of the nine-furlong handicap on the Luke Comer-trained Focus Required. The six-year-old came from well off the pace to pip the front-running Out On Friday by a neck.

Amy Jo Hayes was a winner again at Tipperary the following evening where she won the lady riders’ handicap over the extended 12 furlongs on the Nigel Slevin-trained Five Zeros. She made all the running to beat the John Kiely-trained Blackpoint by half a length, her third winner from her last three rides.

Paddy Twomey gave Billy Lee the first of two winners at Tipperary on Friday evening where Erosandpsyche scored a ready success in the five-furlong conditions’ race. Leading after halfway, the even money favourite had plenty in hand as he beat the Ken Condon-trained Moss Tucker by a length and a quarter.

Lee followed up straight away when taking the fillies’ maiden over the extended seven furlongs on the Condon-trained joint-favourite Spring Feeling.

The Edward O'Grady-trained Act Of God added to two previous wins on the Flat and three over hurdles when landing the beginners’ chase at Wexford on Friday. Trained by O'Grady for owner Brian Comer, the 3/1 chance headed favourite Railway Hurricane after the final fence and pulled away to score by a cosy length and a quarter under Darragh O'Keeffe.

The performance of the Aidan O'Brien-trained Little Big Bear at the Curragh on Saturday was the standout performance of the week. His seven-length rout of some high-class opposition in the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes, in the hands of Ryan Moore, gave O'Brien his seventeenth success in the race and he jumped to the head of the ante-post market for next season’s 2,000 Guineas as he raced clear to beat previous Group 2 winner Persian Force, trained by Richard Hannon.

Paddy Twomey and Billy Lee were winners again as Shelton impressed with a one and a half-length success in the seven-furlong fillies’ race. The 4/1 chance raced up with the pace and pulled away inside the final furlong to beat the Joseph O'Brien-trained Basil Martin.

Ben Coen and Johnny Murtagh were narrow winners as Wave Machine took the six-furlong maiden. The favourite, owned by the Nick Bradley Racing Club, led at the furlong pole, and battled well to see off the Aidan O'Brien-trained Cairo by a head.

Gortnahoe conditional jockey Niall Moore and Philip Fenton won the two-mile and three-furlong handicap hurdle at Downpatrick on Sunday with favourite Montel Glory. Owned and bred by James Ryan, the five-year-old added to last month’s win at the same venue with a two and three-parts of a length win over the Mark McNiff-trained Darkest Hour.

Upcoming Meetings

Gowran Park – Wednesday, August 10 (First Race 4.50pm)

Tramore – Thursday, August 11 (First Race 5.20pm)

Leopardstown – Thursday, August 11 (First Race 5.30pm)

Tramore – Friday, August 12 (First Race 4.50pm)

Cork – Friday, August 12 (First Race 5.00pm)

Curragh – Saturday, August 13 (First Race 1.45pm)

Tramore – Saturday, August 13 (First Race 4.55pm)

Tramore – Sunday, August 14 (First Race 1.40pm)