Tipperary Racing Scene

Real Petite sprang a 50-1 surprise in the apprentice maiden for horses rated up to 60 at Gowran last Monday week under Jimmy Dalton.

Doninga trainer Tom Mullins prepared the filly who was winning for the first time in thirteen starts in both codes.

The German-bred Real Petite was settled in midfield by Fethard jockey before quickening up well along the far rail to go in by just over two lengths.

It was at this Bank Holiday fixture at Gowran Park a decade ago that Joseph O’Brien saddled his first runners in his own name. On that occasion, he sent out four winners, a decade later the Owning Hill trainer settled for a double.

Both winners were in handicaps that returned at odds of 7-2 apiece and both were ridden by Joey Sheridan in the absence of the suspended Dylan Browne McMonagle.

The first of those was Obscenity in the silks of owner-breeder Newtown Anner Stud in the twelve-furlong handicap. This gelding was winning for the second time in three starts having also won for the first time in his career at Navan at the end of April.

The improving Obscenity did it well, too, coming from a long way off the pace to lead inside the final furlong and win by nearly two lengths. He might win again before too long.

Sweet Baby Zou, owned by New Zealand-based Go Racing Ltd, was the other winner to emerge on the day from Joseph’s team. This filly was getting off the mark in a 0-60 handicap at 9.5 furlongs by just over a length.

Doneraile trainer Brendan Walsh enjoyed a productive time at Listowel with two winners from three runners at the Bank Holiday fixture.

The second of those arrived via Knockbrack Rambler, a 12-1 chance, in the John B Keane Beginners’ Chase on Bank Holiday Monday.

Jockey Philip Enright made most, if not all, of the running on the winner, owned and bred locally in Abbeyfeale by Vincent and Mary O’Connor.

Knockbrack Rambler was challenged after the final fence by 4-1 chance Tropical Image but he hung on for a half length success.

Meriden backed up from her win at Down Royal the previous weekend to land another pot at the Curragh last Wednesday for Cloughjordan trainer Denis Hogan.

Joey Sheridan took the ride on the improving filly in the handicap containing 18 three-year-olds and run over six furlongs. She won well by over three lengths as the 3-1 favourite.

“She has a habit of going left but she is coming on all the time. Chris Hayes gave her a peach of a ride when she won at the weekend at Down Royal but she has come forward plenty from that and she took a bit of pulling up,” Sheridan told Racing TV.

Hogan added on the same channel: “It is always a worry going back quickly but she was well. Possibly seven furlongs would be better for her. There is a race over that distance for fillies on Derby weekend here so hopefully that will be the next target.”

Another fine model from the Coolmore production line emerged at the Curragh last Wednesday when Aix La Chapelle made a winning debut in the juvenile maiden over seven furlongs.

Ryan Moore was on the market pick, fellow debutant Giant Sequoia (4-9 favourite) but he didn’t run up to expectations, finishing third. Being next in line at Ballydoyle is a nice spot to be in, just ask Wayne Lordan who already has two Classics in the bag this season.

The Cork jockey was in the right place again here on the American-bred Justify colt who started a 4-1 chance. He guided the newcomer to a margin of a length and a half from Bull Shark (14-1), trained by Robson Aguiar.

It’s not often you watch a mid-to-low ranking sprint of 20 runners at the Curragh and it looks settled with well over a furlong to race.

That’s what happened, though, in the closing event at HQ last Wednesday when Sommelier blazed from go to woah, winning by a margin that had reduced to two lengths at the line.

At the furlong marker he must have been five or six lengths to the good for jockey Paddy Harnett who, it must be said, judged the tempo perfectly.

Sommelier had some nice form in England where he was formerly trained by Marco Botti and was Listed placed to a rating of 98.

However, his form tapered off and he was picked up by current owner Rob Egan in an online sale last summer and moved to Portarlington trainer Kieran Cotter.

The apprentice handicap at Leopardstown on Thursday delivered a gripping climax with two Curragh-trained runners Bella Isabella (9-1) and Playing Cool (100-30 favourite) locked together at the line.

The photo finish revealed a nose margin in favour of the former, trained by Dermot Weld and ridden by Sam Coen, who then had to survive a stewards’ inquiry with possible interference alleged. The deliberation did not take long and the result stood.

The King George V Cup, a Listed race over 12 furlongs restricted to three-year-olds, was the feature last Thursday at Leopardstown but only four horses took part – two apiece from Aidan and Joseph O’Brien – and Endorsement was a resounding winner.

Ryan Moore was on board as the 1-4 chance came seven lengths clear at the line for Ballydoyle.

“That was his first time beyond a mile and a quarter. He handled the ease in the ground well, he quickened well and Ryan was happy with him,” Aidan O’Brien said.

Most of the focus was trained across the sea on Epsom, but Aidan O’Brien kept the home fires burning with a double at Fairyhouse on Friday. Both winners were partnered by stable apprentice Jack Cleary from Caragh.

Florida Bay was the first to collect, the juvenile breaking through on his second start at odds of 8-15 favourite. He won the seven-furlong contest by half a length.

Antigua was a more comfortable winner of his maiden for three-year-olds over ten furlongs. The 11-4 chance went in by over three lengths.

Christmas Day provided a gift of a lifetime for Monasterevin jockey Ronan Whelan with victory in the Betfred Derby at Epsom on Saturday.

It was a twelfth success in the race for the Ballydoyle maestro Aidan O’Brien and his 50th Classic in Britain overall – he makes the extraordinary seem normal.

Whelan appeared to be on the fourth choice of the Coolmore runners in terms of market confidence, a 20-1 chance on the eve of the great race. However, in the face of sustained rainfall at the Surrey track, the price of Christmas Day crunched into 7-1 at the off.

In the all-pink ‘second’ silks of Mrs Sue Magnier, Christmas Day helped set the early pace on soft ground, racing alongside stable companion Action through the early stages.

As the field wheeled off Tattenham Corner with just over three furlongs to race, Whelan drove his mount to the lead and never looked like being caught. He came home almost three lengths ahead of Maltese Cross. James J Braddock, trained by Joseph O’Brien, finished another two lengths or so back in third.

“It just all went too easy and felt so smooth. I knew when the rain came my lad would love it, and the stars aligned for me, really,” Whelan enthused afterwards on Racing TV.

“It sounds weird saying it, but I had a really good feeling at the start. I knew he felt great going to post, and I knew once I got up beside Wayne [Lordan, on Action] and I got into my flow, I knew I was going to run a big race after a couple of furlongs.

“Obviously, you never count your chickens until you pass the line. I suppose the beauty about being on the fourth string is there’s a lot less pressure. If things don’t go right, it’s not the end of the world. Nobody’s expecting too much. It literally worked out how we thought it would, and he’s done it easy and so smooth.”

Christmas Day is now likely to head to the Irish Derby at the Curragh later this month.

“He’s done nothing but improve,” O’Brien said. “He’s so genuine and he stays and handles soft ground. Ronan gave him a beautiful ride; he was so confident on him. I’d imagine he looks an obvious type for the Irish Derby, doesn’t he? He’s so uncomplicated, you would think it would suit him perfectly, he stays, he’s genuine so you’d have to think it would suit him.”

Templemore trainer John Ryan got on the board at Punchestown on Saturday thanks to his veteran chaser Gaelic Arc.

The ten-year-old won for the sixth time in his career and popped up at rewarding odds of 16-1.

Harry Sexton got a great tune out of the winner who jumped well and collected by over three lengths.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

Limerick – Wednesday, 10th June (first race at 4.43pm)

Leopardstown – Thursday, 11th June (first race at 5.30pm)

Fairyhouse – Friday, 12th June (first race at 4.27pm)

Gowran Park – Friday, 12th June (first race at 4.40pm)

Downpatrick – Saturday, 13th June (first race at 2.00pm)

Downpatrick – Sunday, 14th June (first race at 2.00pm)

Cork – Sunday, 14th June (first race at 2.37pm)

Kilbeggan – Monday, 15th June (first race at 4.30pm)