Tipperary Racing Scene

Second in his previous two starts, Koeur A Prendre gained the first success of his career at Ballinrobe on Monday week last.

Trained by Mark Molloy near Thurles, the 100-30 chance won the handicap hurdle for horses rated up to 110 in good style.

Daniel King settled Koeur A Prendre off the pace and was travelling best of all turning for home. They quickened up sufficiently to lead by a length at the line.

Another Thurles trainer, Hilary McLoughlin, was among the winners at Ballinrobe last week when Nothing Hectic won the final race on the card.

This mare has two wins to her name and both have arrived at the Mayo track.

Even better, her owner, local man Tim Kelly, was landing the race he sponsored himself, the 2m6f Tim Kelly Group Handicap Hurdle. Another horse carrying the Mayo colours to success, she battled to a half-length success at 14-1.

Fixation looks destined for better things after he routed his rivals in the McEnery Cup at Gowran Park last Wednesday.

Johnny Murtagh’s improving four-year-old was well-backed into 9-4 favourite for the handicap over 12 furlongs. His supporters had hardly a moment’s worry as he came home over four lengths clear.

Fixation carries the colours of Murtagh’s ownership syndicate with Shane Reville among the group.

Kasper Hauser made a successful debut over fences in the beginners’ chase at Tramore on Thursday to also provide a first for his trainer Kevin Coleman.

Conditional jockey Calum Hogan from Rathkeale made most of the running on the grey gelding who had only opened his account over hurdles a few weeks prior at Kilbeggan.

Believed (9-4 favourite) reached a career high in the Group 3 Give Thanks Stakes at Cork on Friday.

In a well-contested event over a mile and a half, Johnny Murtagh’s classy staying filly found her groove late in the piece for a half-length margin from the Ballydoyle-based Amelia Earhart.

Owned by Qatar Racing, Believed had placed at Royal Ascot two starts prior and hopes are high she can develop into a quality stayer internationally.

Garden Party shrugged off an absence of ten months to win the 10f fillies’ maiden at Cork on Friday.

Ryan Moore steered the 6-5 favourite to a margin of three-quarters of a length. She holds an entry in a Group 3 race at the end of the month and one suspects she could improve significantly from this comeback.

Aidan O’Brien and Wayne Lordan joined forces to pick up a couple of maidens at Dundalk on Saturday.

The pair won the opening race over five furlongs for three-year-olds and up when their filly Institute landed the odds as the 11-8 favourite. Two and half lengths was the margin as she broke through for a first success at the seventh attempt.

Trainer and jockey also clicked with smart juvenile Ile De France in the mile maiden for juveniles.

It has taken just two starts for this very well-bred American colt to get the winning bracket and it came as the 4-5 favourite. He was made battle, however, by trainer David Marnane’s Moliere who got to within a neck at the line.

Ben Coen joined forces with Mullins for a quick double on Saturday at Tramore.

Rakki was the first of those in a 12f handicap, scoring by just over a length as a 7-2 chance. One race later, Spasiba stayed the two-mile handicap strongest for a four-length victory at 3-1.

Sam Coen chipped in with another winner in his quest to be crowned champion apprentice at the end of the season at Tramore on Saturday.

He rode Preparations for his uncle Andy Slattery and both horse and rider did exceptionally to prevail having been carried out and nearly falling by the early leader Go Flo Jo.

Coen got 4-1 chance Preparation organised again and they found enough to repel stable companion Nathema by just over a length.

Carrick-on-Suir trainer Pat Flynn landed the concluding two-mile handicap at Tramore on Saturday via Gallo Del Cielo.

His stable apprentice Robyn Donaghue-Leahy took the ride on the 6-1 chance who won readily by six lengths.

Making his first start for six months, Gallo Del Cielo runs in the colours and was bred by American owner Jeff Mahany.

Orla Tynan rode a well-judged race on Liberation Date in the ten-furlong handicap at the Curragh on Sunday.

The Fethard apprentice controlled the tempo from the front and saved just enough to be half a length clear where it mattered at odds of 7-1.

Jack Foley prepared Liberation Date from his Bagnalstown base. This horse holds a special place for the trainer as he supplied his first winner as a licensed handler last December at Dundalk.

Oisin Murphy made a flying visit back home to partner A Boy Named Susie to success in the Group 3 Newbridge Silverware Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

The ease of the victory by five lengths was suggested by the level of form he had shown prior: fourth in the Group 1 French Derby and second in the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, both behind the excellent Constitution River, the best three-year-old still in training in Europe.

A Boy Named Susie, in the colours of Ana O’Brien, was priced prohibitively odds-on as the 1-7 favourite.

Trainer Donnacha O’Brien said: “We threw him in the deep end a few times and he came out with credit in all of them, so it was nice to give him an easier day and get his confidence up a bit.

“Oisin was thrilled with him and says he is improving the whole time. I would love to bring him back for the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown next month. Oisin thinks the turn of foot that he has could suit him there. But he has plenty of options between a mile and a mile and half around the world.”

The marvellous sprinter Harry’s Hill won for the tenth time in his career at the Curragh on Sunday.

Burnchurch trainer Martin Hassett’s stalwart is now aged eight, but showed he retains plenty of ability with a length-plus success in the five-furlong handicap to close the card.

Paddy Harnett, vying for the champion apprentice title, scored the valuable winner.

Louiescall registered his first success over hurdles on Sunday at Tramore giving Fethard trainer Harry Kelly a boost.

Daniel King got everything from his mount who scored by a length from Willie Mullins’ 6-4 favourite, Speed For Fun. Louiescall was the subject of market support into 4-1.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

Sligo (NH) – Wednesday, August 18th (first race 5.07pm)

Killarney (NH) – Thursday, August 20th (first race 4.35pm)

Leopardstown – Thursday, August 20th (first race 4.56pm)

Kilbeggan (NH) – Friday, August 21st (first race 4.56pm)

Killarney – Friday, August 21st (first race 5.12pm)

Curragh – Saturday, August 22nd (first race 1.05pm)

Killarney (NH) – Saturday, August 22nd (first race 2.00pm)

Naas – Sunday, August 23rd (first race 2.30pm)

Ballinrobe – Monday, August 24th (first race 4.51pm)

Bellewstown – Tuesday, August 25th (first race 4.55pm)