Latest news with #GoffsIrishEBFPoloniaStakes
Irish Examiner
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Willie Haggas and Chris Hayes continue good strike rate as First Instinct returns victorious
Willie Haggas and Chris Hayes have teamed up 12 times in Ireland and when their latest venture, First Instinct, returned victorious in the listed Goffs Irish EBF Polonia Stakes on a sun-soaked Tuesday evening in Cork, it boosted their strike-rate to an impressive 50 percent. The filly, a well-backed 4-1 chance, started quickly and consequently raced quite keenly, but she showed class in abundance as she picked up to lead inside the final furlong before digging in deep to fend off Town And Country with a head to spare. 'I love when Mr Haggas sends them over – we have a good strike rate together,' said Hayes. 'There are never any complications. He was bullish today: he told me she had a really good chance. 'She jumped that fast out of gates, I nearly came off her. She jumped and got into stride really quickly, I was able to use Seamie (Heffernan, on Grande Marques) as my lead horse. I had no worries. I knew Billy was coming quickly, but I thought she was pulling out enough.' The name of City Of Memphis was flashing in the markets from the moment they went up for the Annual Membership Available Maiden and never stopped all the way until the start of the race. Paddy Twomey's Sioux Nation filly, as high as 3-1 in the initial show, was sent off the 8-13 favourite, and true to the confidence behind her, there was never a moment in the race when she looked in trouble. She travelled so easily in the hands of Billy Lee that he never had to get serious. And she won with a huge amount in hand of the promising Bonus Time. 'She was an expensive breeze-up purchase, but she has always shown us a top level of ability. We've given her a bit of time to mature, and she was just ready to start today, and I'm hoping that she'll be exciting," said Twomey. Presentation after First Instinct won Goffs Irish EBF Polonia Stakes with groom Sydoni Roland, Henry Beeby, Suraj Bissessur for trainer William Haggas and Joey Cullen. 'Sioux Nation is a very good sire, and he stands locally with Coolmore in Fermoy. We're fans of him and have quite a few horses by him, the reason being that they show that sort of ability that she has shown. 'She's a good filly and I expected her to win. The closer you get to the race, the less confident you become, as the trainer, but it's always nice to win. 'Today was the plan, to get started, and we'll come up with a new one now. Being a filly, and Alan (owner) is a breeder – he has Purple Lily also – and we'll get some black type for this filly if we can.' The winning rider doubled up by taking the Cork Derby aboard the Henry de Bromhead-trained Ascending. In a slowly run race, the prominent racers dominated, and in tight finish he put his head down to deny long-time leader Satin, with Razdan, who was four pounds out of the handicap, doing best of those coming from off the pace. Oh Cecelia built on the promise of her Curragh debut with victory in the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden. Jack Davison's Starspangledbanner filly, who was touched off by Miami Destination on her previous start, travelled well and quickened up nicely to beat favourite Rogue Legend, who showed greenness before finishing to good effect. Tokenomics is proving a terrific sort for connections, and there should be plenty more to come. After three wins in ten starts as a three-year-old, the unraced juvenile made a winning four-year-old debut in the Book Tickets At Handicap. For a moment, at a potentially crucial point of the race, Luke McAteer had to sit and wait for an opening, but once the gap appeared the David Marnane-trained The Grey Gatsby gelding quickened up to win a shade cosily. The Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot is a potential target. Port Louis, whose sole previous success came this month two years ago, finished best of all to take the Racing Again Saturday May 10 Apprentice Handicap for Noel Meade and Wayne Hassett. Joseph O'Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle took the ten-and-a-half-furlong fillies' maiden with Dawn Spirit. Disappointing on return, the lightly raced Australia filly stayed on strongly to beat market leader Inventress by a wide margin. Zahrann was a long odds-on chance to finish the card with a winner for Johnny Murtagh and Ben Coen and while he struggled a little to go the pace early, he took over early in the straight and proceeded to career away for a seven-length victory.
RTÉ News
06-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
First Instinct battles to victory at Cork
William Haggas was on the scoresheet at Cork as First Instinct toughed it out to land the Listed-class Goffs Irish EBF Polonia Stakes over five and a half furlongs. Chris Hayes was hard at work for much of the race but the 4-1 chance responded well to pressure and hit the front a furlong out before holding off the late challenge of 33-1 shot Town And Country by a head, with fellow outsider Songhai in third and firm favourite Babouche only fourth. A winner at Nottingham and Haydock as a two-year-old last term, First Instinct stepped up on a recent staying-on third behind Electric Storm at Bath over the minimum trip. Hayes said: "I love when Mr Haggas sends horses to Ireland as we have a great strike-rate together and there are never any complications. He was bullish with this filly and thought she had a good chance. "She jumped so fast coming out of the gates that I nearly came off but she got into her stride really quick. I was able to use Seamie (Heffernan, on Grande Marques) as my lead horse and had no worries. Billy (Lee, on Town And Country) was coming quick but I was pulling out more. "I spoke to Tom (Marquand) and he thought the drier ground would suit. Tom said she was fresh for her last run in Bath but she was good as gold today and was very professional. "I'd be happy at today's distance and if ever she comes back here again, I'd like to ride her." Jack Davison is eyeing a trip to Royal Ascot with Oh Cecelia (5-1) following a convincing victory in the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden, which earned her a €50,000 Goffs bonus. The daughter of Starspangledbanner built on a close second at the Curragh by pulling nicely clear under James Ryan to beat odds-on favourite Rogue Legend by a length and a half. The trainer said: "That was super and she is a good filly. "I ran her the first day (of the season) on heavy ground, where she was just touched off and performed so well just on ability. She is a fast filly who wants today's fast ground to show her speed and gears. "I thought she won cosily enough at the line and would benefit from a stronger pace. "We have two runs now and I would love to have a filly for Royal Ascot. She wants fast ground, she is fast and is improving, so we will consider the Queen Mary Stakes." City Of Memphis (8-13 favourite) made a big impression when powering home for Paddy Twomey and Billy Lee in the Annual Membership Available Maiden on her racecourse debut. A €370,000 purchase in May last year, the three-year-old did not reach the track as a juvenile but started to make up for lost time with a comfortable success at 8-13. Twomey said: "We bought her off Katie Walsh at the breeze-ups last year and just waited with her. We haven't looked much but she has plenty of ability and everything she does, she does with ease. "We were confident coming here that she would run a good race and I'm delighted she has won. "When you go to the breeze-up sale, you pay your money and take your chance, but we've been lucky with Alan (O'Flynn, owner). He asked me to buy him fillies in the past few years and we got Purple Lily the first year and now this one, so he has two nice fillies. "We'll take her home now and aim to go up the grades, hoping to get black type."
