A quarter of a century after Istabraq imperiously ruled Prestbury Park, the king of the hurdles has been honoured by the Association of Sports’ Journalists in Ireland in conjunction with Flutter UK and Ireland. The greatest hurdler in recent National Hunt history - wearing the colours of JP McManus, trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Charlie Swan - completed a hat-trick of victories in 2000 in Cheltenham’s Champion Hurdle. At the Cashel Palace Hotel, members of ASJI, media representatives and figures from Irish racing gathered to salute the equine legend in the presence of JP, Aidan and Charlie as Istabraq became the latest hero to join the association’s who’s who of Irish Sporting Legends.Of his 29 runs over jumps, all in partnership with Charlie, Istabraq won 23 times, including three Champion Hurdles at Cheltenham, four Irish Champion Hurdles, the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle twice, Aintree Hurdle and the Supreme Novices Hurdle. He amassed over €1m in prizemoney. PHOTO: INPHO/James Crombie

Tipperary Racing Scene

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The father and son team of Andy & Andrew Slattery landed a late winner at Roscommon on Monday week last where the three-year-old Whats New took the second of the 12-furlong handicaps.

Owned by Joe Bolger, the 11/4 chance readily defied top-weight as he raced to a comfortable three and a half-length success over the Danny McLoughlin-trained Nancee Spain.

In his mother Anne Marie’s colours, the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Kensington Lake won the opening two-year-old fillies’ maiden at Gowran Park on Tuesday. It was all too easy for the well-supported 9/4 chance which made much of the running under Gavin Ryan and edged clear over a furlong out to score by five lengths from Michael O'Callaghan’s Luna Mia.

Ben Coen was next into the winners’ enclosure as he took the maiden over the same seven-furlong distance on the Johnny Murtagh-trained Take Charge Star. A 7/2 chance on the back of a promising debut run at the Curragh, the Maribeth Sandford-owned two-year-old led over a furlong out to beat Joseph O'Brien’s Spangled Sands by two and a half lengths.

Coen’s cousin Sam was on the mark on The Bog Bank, trained by Tom McCourt, eight-furlong apprentice handicap. A 12/1 chance, she recorded her eighth win when seeing off the Philip Byrne-trained Slaney Swagger by half a length.

Denis Hogan and Adam Ryan combined to win the amateur riders’ handicap over six-furlongs with the five-year-old Dontspoilasale at Laytown on Thursday. A 15/2 chance for owner James McAuley, he made all the running and had half a length to spare over the Ado McGuinness-trained Clonmacash, at the line.

Johnny Murtagh gave Ben Coen the first of his two winners when sending out the two-year-old Killourney Reigns to take the opening five-furlong maiden at Down Royal on Friday.

Owned by the Racha Partnership, the 6/3 favourite led a furlong out to beat Jessica Harrington’s Baker Blue by a length and a quarter.

Coen followed up on Natalia Lupini’s 3/1 shot Eleven A in the seven-furlong auction series maiden. Another two-year-old, he had a length and three-parts to spare over Ado McGuinness’ favourite Lucia Molly.

Donnacha O'Brien and Gavin Ryan got the better of the Coen and Murtagh combination as they won the seven-furlong nursery handicap with the 16/1 chance Sovereign Thought. He scored by a cosy length and a half from Murtagh’s Venetian Star.

Wayne Hassett then completed a double for Down trainer Natalia Lupini when he won the two and a quarter-mile Ulster Cesarewitch on 18/1 chance Alba Chiara. The three-year-old came from off the pace to lead a furlong out and he held Noel Meade’s favourite Billie Frechette by half a length.

Harry Kelly’s 8/15 favourite Nelson Muntz landed a runaway success in the opening two-mile maiden hurdle at Kilbeggan on Friday.

The six-year-old was clear under Peter Smithers between the final two hurdles and he came home a fourteen-length winner from the John Burke-trained Backwithyourown.

Killenaule’s Niall Hennessy partnered the Turner Family-owned Ocean Of Mercy to win the two and a half-mile beginners' chase for trainer Paul Hennessy.

The 7/2 chance led on the run to the final fence, and he pulled away to win by seven and a half lengths from Gordon Elliott’s Beaufort Scale.

A Wave Of The Sea landed his second win this year over the course and distance when taking the two and a half-mile handicap chase for Shane Broderick. Ridden by Charlie O’Dwyer, the JP McManus-owned nine-year-old led after the final fence under Charlie O’Dwyer to score by two and three-parts of a length from Edward and Patrick Harty’s Clonshire River.

Ben Coen was a winner again as he took the five-furlong handicap on the Johnny Murtagh-trained 3/1 favourite Amicita at Navan on Saturday.

Coen made all the running on the JP Murtagh Racing-owned three-year-old which was well on top early inside the final furlong to win by two and quarter lengths from Jimmy Barcoe’s Nouvel Espoir.

Wayne Hassett also made a prompt return to the winners’ enclosure after his Down Royal win as he partnered Denis Hogan’s 3/1 favourite Nezeeh to land another handicap over five furlongs.

Another in the colours of owner James McAuley, the four-year-old was a little slowly away from the stalls but he came through to lead inside the final furlong to beat David Marnane’s Sir Yoshi by half a length.

Joey Sheridan gave Cavan trainer Patrick Magee his second winner in the space of 48 hours when partnering 16/1 shot Harseva to land the 10-furlong handicap for her owner/breeder Tomas Mulholland.

The five-year-old came home a half-length winner from the Thomas Coyle-trained Lunar Landscape. Lismacbryan Hill, a 5/1 chance, was a winner for Magee and Colin Keane at Laytown on Thursday.

Upcoming Meetings

Cork – Wednesday, September 10 (First race 4.10pm)

Clonmel – Thursday, September 11 (First race 4pm)

Ballinrobe – Friday, September 12 (First race 3.55pm)

Leopardstown – Saturday, September 13 (First race 2.15pm)

Curragh – Sunday, September 14 (First race 1.30pm)

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