Templemore trainer Ryan lands long odds Kilbeggan double

Tipperary Racing Scene

Trainer Andy Slattery began the new week where he ended the old by sending out an across-the-card double on Monday week last.

Killeemore Lad, ridden by Philip Donovan, made most of the running in the beginners’ chase. The 7-2 shot was always holding his pursuers in the Downpatrick homestretch by upwards of two lengths.

Attention then switched to Roscommon where Letiza (7-1) got off the mark for her latest stable at the fourth attempt.

This mare has been around the houses and Slattery’s stable is the fifth team she has been with. She went close in three runs prior this summer and deserved her breakthrough by a head in the 12-furlong handicap in the hands of jockey Andrew Slattery.

Their latest double gave the Killenaule stable its fifth winner in three days.

Another result for the Slattery team surfaced at Kilbeggan on Thursday when Call My Name eased to a comfortable victory in the bumper.

This promising four-year-old caught the eye on debut at Tramore a few weeks earlier and he put the experience to good use, winning by seven lengths as a 13-2 shot.

Jockey Adam Ryan carried the colours of owner Mick Walsh.

The opening race at Roscommon on Monday, a median auction contest for juveniles, attracted a strong field and it was South Dakota who just about edged a bobbing finish from 7-4 favourite Joga Bonito.

Aidan O’Brien’s colt was winning for the first time in at the fifth attempt. He had some very useful form in the book already, notably when a close fourth in the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.

Wayne Lordan managed to get 3-1 chance South Dakota home in front by a short head.

O’Brien and Lordan joined for another winner at Navan on Saturday when Flower Forest took the Irish EBF fillies’ maiden by a length at 4-1.

Trained by Johnny Murtagh, Priorstown got the first win of his career at Roscommon on Monday in the 12f handicap restricted to three-year-olds.

Ben Coen executed a fine ride here, getting into a forward position with cover despite exiting the widest gate of 17. Sporting cheekpieces for the first time, the 9-2 second favourite found the lead with about a furlong to race and stayed on well, clear by a length at the post. Priorstown is owned and bred by Maurice Regan of Newtown Anner Stud.

Curracloe had a bit of the ‘wow’ factor about her as she scored impressively on debut in the 7f fillies’ maiden at Gowran Park on Tuesday.

Trained by Johnny Murtagh for owners Qatar Racing, the juvenile was over three lengths clear of fancied rivals trained by Aidan and Joseph O’Brien in second and third.

Despite the ease with which she won, Curracloe, the first winner in Ireland for her brilliant sire Baaeed, drifted to a quote of 22-1.

Drumbeat and Equus Victor could not be separated at the end of the maiden for colts and geldings at Gowran on Tuesday, resulting in a dead-heat.

The former, the 5-4 favourite, is trained by Aidan O’Brien and was ridden by Wayne Lordan. The latter, at 14-1, came from the Danny Murphy stable on the Curragh and was another winner for Ben Coen.

With the stable’s first jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle temporarily on the sidelines, Joey Sheridan is coming in for a few more winners for the Joseph O’Brien stable.

The Hollyford man partnered a double for the Owning Hill team at nearby Gowran Park on Tuesday with Starborn Legend the first of those in the three-year-old maiden.

This colt had shown a good level of form in three prior starts without winning and only just about broke through, a short head the margin for the 6-4 favourite.

Brilliant steeplechaser Banbridge supplied the other result in the staying maiden for older horses. With King George and Cheltenham Festival wins as highlights from a glittering jumps career, the ten-year-old is under consideration for a trip to America next month for the big American Grand National meeting at Far Hills, New Jersey.

Second, third and fourth in her first three starts, Solana Beach gained a deserved maiden victory at Gowran Park last Tuesday.

Fozzy Stack’s three-year-old filly got up by a neck to deny Ninth Crusade, the 3-1 joint favourite owned and trained by Michael O’Callaghan.

Seamie Heffernan rode the 7-1 winner who carries the colours of American owner Craig Bernick.

“We were waiting for the ground to turn for her after the warm summer. It was just about borderline for her today but she is a winner now, so that is good,” Stack said.

“She should improve and hopefully she can nick some black type for Craig.”

Navajo Point and his connections enjoyed their day in the sun at Gowran Park on Tuesday as trainer Martin Hassett’s gelding won for the first time in nine starts.

Paddy Harnett persuaded the 4-1 favourite to be a neck in front at the end of the mile handicap for apprentices.

“If ever a horse deserved a win, it was him. He fractured his pelvis last year and was stood in for ages. He is as tough as nails. It has been all about patience with him,” Hassett said.

A little slice of history was made in the final race at Navan on Wednesday when Mawhibah became what is believed to be the first Qatari-bred thoroughbred to win a race in Ireland.

Joseph O’Brien trains for the owners and breeders the Al Attiyah family and Joey Sheridan waited until the very last moment to pounce for a half-length success.

To be fair to her, Mawhibah had to overcome the widest gate in a field of 21 in the 10f fillies’ maiden. On this evidence, she can win again before too long, especially granted an even stiffer test of stamina.

Forza Magico gave Curragh trainer Johnny Feane consecutive wins in the sprint maiden for older horses at Down Royal on Friday.

Runner-up by a nose on her previous start, the three-year-old made amends as a well backed even-money favourite. She did so readily by three-quarters of a length. Joey Sheridan was in the saddle.

Romance, trained in Fethard by Josh Halley, came from an unpromising position to snatch the seven-furlong nursery at Down Royal on Friday.

Held up in rear by jockey Andrew Slattery, the grey filly sprouted wings inside the final furlong to win going away by over two lengths. She returned at 7-1.

“The first-time tongue tie helped. I didn't think I was going to trouble the judge too much but, just when I got a little bit of daylight, she found a gear and took off,” the rider told Racing TV.

The prolific Lough Leane won for the eighth time in his career when taking the apprentice handicap at Down Royal on Friday.

Trainer Maurice Ahern prepares this hardy gelding who benefitted from a nice ride by Adam Browne-Souza. Lough Leane won at odds of 7-1 by over two lengths. More will be seen of him at Dundalk over the winter.

Templemore trainer John Ryan enjoyed a 170-1 double at Kilbeggan on Friday and was notably impressed with Minella Cyclone who made a winning debut for the stable.

A point-to-point recruit from John Nallen, this five-year-old was making his debut under rules and he won well by over four lengths as an 8-1 chance. JJ Slevin rode.

“This is probably the best horse I have ever trained,” Ryan enthused.

“He was only about 70 per cent ready so he has great scope to improve. He is a beautiful mover, a big strong horse and a great jumper.”

“John Nallen thought the world of him and he is one of the best producers of jumps horses this country has ever seen.”

Minella Cyclone carries the colours of the We Win Farming Syndicate whose colours were also carried to victory by Smallcraftwarning (18-1) in the staying handicap hurdle.

Daniel King partnered this nine-year-old to success by almost three lengths.

“I have ridden him before and this was the best he has ever travelled for me,” the Cork jockey said.

“He was comfortable everywhere. I am delighted to win for John. His horses are starting to hit a bit of form again.”

Orla Tynan delivered a well-judged ride on Irish Rumour to snatch the 0-60 sprint handicap at Navan on Saturday.

The Fethard apprentice committed her mount, trained on the Curragh by Jenny Lynch, to lead with about a furlong to race. They had just enough in reserve to fend off by a neck the attentions of the very well-backed The Love Machine, punted from 14-1 overnight to an unlucky 9-4 favourite.

“She ran a cracker the last day at the Curragh over six furlongs and we came back to five today. Thankfully they let me rider her again. She battled very well for me, I am delighted,” Tynan said.

UPCOMONG MEETINGS

Cork – Wednesday, September 9th (first race 4.10pm)

Laytown – Thursday, September 10th (first race 4.39pm)

Ballinrobe (NH) – Friday, September 11th (first race 3.24pm)

Leopardstown – Saturday, September 12th (first race 1.35pm)

Curragh – Sunday, September 13th (first race 1.45pm)

Punchestown – Tuesday, September 15th (first race 1.45pm)