Denis Hogan continues good run of form
Tipperary Racing Scene
Having sent out winners on four successive days in the previous week, Denis Hogan continued his good form as the Premier Racing Club-owned four-year-old Mono River landed the 10-furlong optional claiming race at Roscommon on Tuesday.
A fourth winner in the space of six days for Joey Sheridan, the 18/5 chance led inside the final furlong and had a little in hand in beating Joseph O'Brien’s Powerful Hook Head by three-parts of a length. Mono River was subsequently claimed by John McConnell for €9,000.
Ben Coen and Castlecomer trainer Pat Murphy combined to win the seven and a half furlong-handicap with the Margaret Ahern-owned Free Solo. The eight-year-old notched up his fifth career win, and third for current connections, as he raced to a four and a quarter-length success over Four Blondes, ridden for Ross O'Sullivan by Shane Foley.
Coen’s cousin Sam teamed up with inform Adrian Murray to win the 12-furlong apprentice maiden on the Amo Racing-owned Bryant.
The 3/1 chance led early inside the final furlong and raced clear to win by an easy three and a quarter lengths from the Jessica Harrington-trained favourite Sears Crossing.
Limerick’s Calum Hogan, who rode two winners at Gowran Park last year, recorded his second double when on the mark for Eric McNamara and Nenagh trainer Eoin Seymour at Sligo on Wednesday.
The Rathkeale conditional jockey won the first and second races on the card with McNamara’s Glitz And Glamour setting up the double in the two-mile one-furlong mares’ maiden hurdle.
Bred by Noreen McManus and owned by her husband JP, the four-year-old challenged from the second-last hurdle but only led in the final stride to pip Gavin Cromwell’s front-running Hillhead Runner by a head.
Hogan then made all the running to take the handicap hurdle over the same distance on Tir Og, a second winner for trainer Eoin Seymour.
Owned by the Keepthehighballslow syndicate, the 6/1 shot went clear from the final hurdle to score by two and a half lengths from the Mark McNiff-trained Wild Mandate, with Denis Hogan’s favourite Tea It Is two and three-parts of a length away in third place.
6/1 shot Floresta landed the Listed Tote Irish EBF Vinnie Roe Stakes for Ben Coen and Johnny Murtagh at Leopardstown on Thursday.
Owned and bred by Newtown Anner Stud, she came from well off the pace to lead over a furlong from the finish and quickly raced clear to score by four and a quarter lengths from the Donnacha O'Brien-trained joint-favourite Happy Pharoah.
At Killarney on Thursday, Andy Slattery won the concluding bumper with the long odds-on favourite Parnell Street.
Ridden by Adam Ryan for owners Partick Morrissey and Adam Lord, the 2/5 favourite raced up with the pace and raced into a clear lead before the two-furlong pole before winning by eleven lengths from Tom Hogan’s Hopeful Hero.
The all-the-way winner Eye Of A Tiger gave owner/trainer John Ryan victory in the opening two-mile maiden hurdle at Kilbeggan on Friday.
The first leg of a double for JJ Slevin, the 11/8 joint-favourite edged clear between the final two hurdles to beat Andy Slattery’s Beir Bua by six and a half lengths with the winner’s fellow favourite Kabylia, trained by Gavin Cromwell, nine and a half lengths away in third place.
Slevin was later successful on Henry de Bromhead’s 8/13 favourite in the three-mile one-furlong maiden hurdle in the colours of owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.
Andrew Slattery teamed up with the Henry de Bromhead-trained five-year-old Thalara to win the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Vincent O’Brien Ruby Stakes at Killarney on Friday.
Slattery notched up his first success for the Waterford trainer when making most of the running on the Marianne Klay-owned 6/1 chance to beat the Daniel McLoughlin-trained Duckadilly by two and three-parts of a length.
Wayne Hassett wrapped up the trainer’s double as the six-year-old Chutzpal won the 14-furlong handicap, again from the front. The 6/1 shot made all the running and came home one and a half lengths clear of the Gavin Cromwell-trained Pinot Gris.
Aidan O'Brien landed the first of his weekend winners when sending out the two-year-old Extravagant and the four-year-old Mont St Michel to score.
Jack Cleary was in the saddle as 5/1 chance Extravagant scored a cosy success in the eight-furlong nursery handicap. He headed Johnny Murtagh’s front-running favourite Bellamano over a furlong out to win by a length and a half.
Half a length was the margin as the Paddy Smullen-ridden Mont St Michel took the concluding two-mile one-furlong amateur riders’ race. The 11/4 chance led two furlongs out and held off the challenge Sorrento, which was ridden by Patrick Mullins for his father Willie. It was a second success for the winning rider.
A couple of hours before his success in the Ebor Handicap at York with the William Buick-ridden favourite Ethical Diamond, Willie Mullins won the opening seven-furlong maiden for two-year-olds at the Curragh with Thread Of Gold.
In his wife Jackie’s colours, the 11/1 shot led inside the final furlong under Joey Sheridan and he raced away to win by two lengths from another at the same price, Resurgence, which was ridden for Jessica Harrington by Shane Foley.
Andrew Slattery was a winner again as the John O'Donoghue-trained It’s A Heartbeat scored a clearcut success in the 12-furlong fillies and mares’ handicap.
Owned and bred by Sven and Carina Hanson, the three-year-old led over a furlong out and went right away to beat Joseph O'Brien’s favourite Shaool by three and three-parts of a length.
Aidan O'Brien added to his Killarney double on the previous evening with two very significant two-year-old successes. He took the Group 2 Coolmore Stud Wootton Bassett Tom Cooper Irish EBF Futurity Stakes with the 5/6 favourite Constitution River which made all the running under Wayne Lordan to score by two lengths from the Ger Lyons-trained Geryon.
The Corkman was again in the saddle as 4/5 favourite Composing won the Group 2 Alpha Centauri Debutante Stakes by a slightly wider margin. She led over a furlong out and came home two and a half lengths clear of the Lyons-trained 4/1 shot Suzie Songs.
In contrast, the Sam Coen-ridden four-year-old Clonmacash got up in the dying strides to nab the concluding five-furlong handicap. Coen got the better of his cousin Ben as the Ado McGuinness-trained 11/1 shot scored by a shorthead from Johnny Murtagh’s Emerald Harmony.
Wayne Hassett rode his second winner in three days when partnering Joseph O'Brien’s 8/1 shot Cap Saint Martin to take the concluding 10-furlong handicap at Naas on Sunday.
In the colours of owners Sam Sangster and Lee Warren, the three-year-old came with a late surge to head Johnny Murtagh’s favourite Reyenzi and Ben Coen inside the final furlong and win by a lengths and three-parts.
Upcoming Meetings
Navan – Thursday, August 28 (First race 2.30pm)
Wexford – Friday, August 29 (First race 4.30pm)
Down Royal – Friday, August 29 (First race 4.50pm)
Curragh – Saturday, August 30 (First race 1.45pm)
Tipperary – Sunday, August 31 (First race 2.30pm)