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Irish Examiner
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Lordan gets timing right as Rock of Cashel grabs win
Navan/Sligo reports The Aidan O'Brien-trained Rock Of Cashel, who had competed in loftier company at two and earlier this season, captured the featured Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race in Navan, helped by an enterprising ride by Wayne Lordan. Having tracked the leader, Lordan made his move, running downhill, with three furlongs to race and, soon in command, had first run on ¼ favourite Nautical Force, who stayed on, but could never get on terms. Two lengths separated the pair at the line. And O'Brien's representative Chris Armstrong commented: 'He has been highly tried and appreciated dropping in class. The race worked out beautifully for him and Wayne gave him a lovely ride. 'He looked a stakes horse after he won his maiden in Galway last year and this should do his confidence good. I'm sure he'll be stepping back up in class after this.' Johhny Murtagh, trainer of hot-pot Nautical Force and in Croke Park to watch his beloved Meath, had enjoyed better luck earlier when Zuheila, in the Aga Khan colours, made a winning debut in the Ardboyne Hotel Maiden. Awkward from the stalls, Zuheila justified hefty support (12/1 in the morning, backed into 5/2 favourite) tracking the leaders and knuckling down well when popped the question by Ben Coen to outpoint 75-rated Washingtom Street by a half-length. Coen commented: 'She's a nice filly, bred for speed. She has been doing things right at home and we were expecting a good run. She was a bit green coming down the hill, but quickened well and had a good look when she hit the front. There should be plenty more to come from her.' Another man with other things on his mind (in Croke Park), Noel Meade won the opening two-year-old maiden with odds-on favourite Star Of Sapphire who gained compensation for her narrow debut defeat at Bellewstown, forging clear in the final furlong to beat All Hail by three lengths. 'She even felt like a nice filly going to the start,' admitted winning rider Shane Foley. 'She broke well, but I wanted to take my time and, when I asked her, she picked-up well. She's a big girl, enjoyed that quick ground and is a filly with a future.' And My Girl Sioux, in-foal to The Antarctic, followed-up her recent Bellewstown success when taking the Newgrange Hotel Handicap for Andy Slattery, giving teenager Jimmy Dalton, from Tullamaine, near Fethard, his first victory in the saddle. Summer racing scene from the County Sligo venue with a packed grandstand. Picture: Healy Racing My Girl Sioux was the second leg of an across-the-card double for the Slattery team, initiated when 5/6 favourite Killeaney Bear made all to take the Durkin Bros. Electrical Maiden Hurdle which opened Sligo's jumps card. 'He jumped a lot slicker today,' stated winning rider Cian Quirke. 'He'll stay further — I couldn't pulled him up. He's a nice horse, both on the flat and over hurdles.' Tom McCourt suggested: 'The owners are mad to have a runner in Cheltenham, so we might think about going there in November,' having watched Radar Ahead (Darragh O'Keeffe) open her hurdling account, on her handicap debut, in the Racing TV Irish EBF Mares Handicap Hurdle. Backed from 5/2 to 6/5 favourite, CJ's Darling bolted-up for Gavin Cromwell and Conor Stone-Walsh in the CT Electrical Maiden Hurdle. John Cullen, who trains outside Ballina, struck for the second time when Cornmarket (100/30 favourite) and Alan King took the Kilcawley Construcion Handicap Hurdle. He admitted: 'I'd love to go to Galway with him, but it won't be easy to get in there. He can always come back here to Sligo the following week.' And amateur Josh Berry savoured his first success in the saddle, partnering Brendan Walsh's Richiesandsams Lady to victory over favourite Sing My Story in the bumper.
Irish Examiner
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Cleary-Farrell on the double as Mullins dominates action
Punchestown report Willie Mullins dominated the weekend action in Punchestown, registering doubles on both Saturday and Sunday, with 7lb claimer Sean Cleary-Farrell delivering on the double yesterday for Closutton, on board Spanish Harlem and Keep Up. Without a win in his fourteen 14 previous starts for Mullins but fourth in the valuable Bet365 Gold Cup last time, Spanish Harlem broke through in the Jim Ryan Memorial Novice Chase, staying on dourly on the run-in to get the better of No Time To Wait and justify 8/15 favouritism. 'The track and trip suited him and he used his jumping experience,' said David Casey, representing Mullins. 'Sean gave him a good ride and he kept galloping. Nicer ground and extended trip suit him and I'd say we'll keep going with him.' Sean Cleary-Farrell completed his first double and provided the second leg of the Mullins treble on hurdling debutante Keep Up, a facile winner of the Lily & Wild Mares Maiden Hurdle, the 4/5 shot beating market rival Fillusin by five lengths. 'Sean gave her a good ride — she was a bit in his hands, fresh after her break, but she jumped well and stayed galloping,' said Casey. 'I hope she'll go on to win her 'novice' now — she could be one for Galway.' Joli Travail and Anna McGuinness win for trainer Willie Mullins. Picture: Healy Racing Anna McGuinness, another emerging 7lb claimer, rode her second winner in the famous colours of JP McManus and provided the final leg of the Closutton treble when Joli Travail (2/1) made virtually all, to take the John Dowling Memorial Maiden Hurdle at the expense of William Butler. 'He's had a couple of issues, but that was a good performance,' stated a delighted Casey. 'He learned a lot in Killarney and the longer trip definitely helped him. We'll try to find a 'novice' for him but, long-term, he looks like a chaser.' And he added, 'Anna is a good rider. She was recommended to use by James Lambe about a year ago and is with us full-time.' Brosna Queen, trained locally by Sonny Carey, proved best in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Pro-Am Flat Race, digging deep for Patrick Mullins to see off Atomic Queen and Kabylia. 'She's a good mare, with loads of ability,' said Carey. 'She'll have a break and might come back for the 'Mucklemeg' (listed event at Gowran Park) or a trip to Cheltenham in November.' The Noel Meade-trained Mick Collins (Eoin Walsh) rallied bravely on the run-in to confirm Bellewstown flat form with odds-on favourite Luker's Tipple in the Bermingham Cameras Maiden Hurdle. Tightest finish of the day came in the Madison Flooring Handicap Hurdle, when Gavin Cromwell's versatile grey Londonofficecallin (Kieren Buckley) pipped favourite Stay Gold by a nose before surviving a Stewards Enquiry. And the quirky, Ted Walsh-trained Hardwired, under a determined Gavin Brouder, proved his liking for Punchestown when foiling Antrim Coast by a half-length in the K-Mech Mechanical Handicap Chase., the nine-year-old third success at the County Kildare / poh
Irish Examiner
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
O'Brien looking to Curragh for Derby hero Lambourn
Aidan O'Brien considers the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby the most likely next port of call for Lambourn following his Epsom heroics on Saturday. A son of dual Derby winner Australia, the three-year-old made virtually every yard of the running in the premier Classic under Wayne Lordan, providing O'Brien with his 11th Betfred Derby success. Speaking on Racing TV's Luck on Sunday programme, the Ballydoyle handler reported his three Derby runners to have returned home none the worse, with Lambourn's stablemates Delacroix and The Lion In Winter set to drop back in trip after finishing ninth and 14th respectively. "The horses have been out for a walk and a pick of grass (this morning) and everybody seems very happy with them," said O'Brien. "We were expecting Wayne was probably going to go forward to make the running on Lambourn — unless there was someone going very fast he was going to end up in front and that's what happened. Wayne gave him a great ride, he had to be aggressive from the gates and he is a horse that stays very well." Lambourn winning jockey Wayne Lordan celebrates. Picture: Healy Racing O'Brien felt there were excuses for Delacroix, the chosen mount of Ryan Moore, and the Colin Keane-ridden The Lion In Winter. He added: "It got a little bit rough up the hill, I think Ryan got chopped up at the top of the hill and Colin ended up a little bit more forward than he thought he was going to be and out a little bit. "To have one horse in any race and it go right is very difficult, so if you have three in a race it's usually not going to go right for them all. "We learnt that Wayne's horse stays very well and is a very straightforward, uncomplicated horse, we learnt Colin's horse could be a miler, so he was probably a mile out of his ground, and it's very possible that Ryan's horse is a mile-and-a-quarter horse, even though their races didn't go as well as they would have wanted. "In the Derby every year you get fairly straightened out and sort out what you are or you aren't. The Derby and the Oaks are the races that expose the whole three-year-old generation, their flaws and their weaknesses and their strengths. You usually know where you're going after it." On future plans for the winner, he said: "The lads (owners) will make that decision and we'll see how he is when he gets back cantering in 10 days, but it looks like he's an Irish Derby horse and it looks like the Curragh would really suit him." The trainer also praised the winning rider, who was winning his first Derby. "Wayne is an unbelievable horseman and the most genuine, uncomplicated person you'll ever meet in your life," O'Brien added. "He's grateful for everything and expects nothing - that's —Wayne totally. He' an unbelievable person to work with and an unbelievable rider, horseman and jockey all rolled into one."
Irish Examiner
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Sunchart shines on very kind ground
A dual listed-winner on the flat and rated 106 in that discipline, Sunchart outclassed her nine rivals when landing the Wexford Racecourse Rated Hurdle in Wexford. Trained for Pat Garvey by Andy Slattery and ridden by 7lb claimer Adam Ryan, the 7/4 favourite tracked the pace, quickened into the lead turning for home and, despite idling in front, beat eye-catcher Farfromnowhere and Black Heather with a bit to spare. Brother and assistant to the winning trainer, Willie Slattery commented, 'He's at his best in soft ground, so I walked the track and found it to be very kind ground, so were were happy to run him. 'I thought we got in light here and Adam, a great worker who deserves a shot, gave him a good ride. 'I'd like to go for the Galway Hurdle with him, if he gets in, but I'd say Pat (Garvey) won't let me. You won't see much of him. And he'll probably end up in listed races at Leopardstown and Naas at the end of the year.' Winning rider Ryan added, 'It was very straight-forward. His jumping was a little cautious early, but he warmed to it, flew the last two and went to the lien well.' Sunchart & Adam Ryan win the Wexford Racecourse Rated Hurdle. Picture: Healy Racing There was drama in the opening Wexford Claiming Hurdle as Redwood Queen, a significant market drifter and subsequently claimed by Cian Collins, looked set to overturn hot-pot Beacon Edge when unseating Philip Byrnes at the final flight, leaving the 1/3 favourite and 7lb claimer Josh Halford to beat Must Meet Cecil by 22 lengths. 'We had a bit of luck on our side,' admitted winning trainer Gordon Elliott, 'We knew the trip was too short and he was flat out the whole way. I thought the horse in front probably had it won, but Josh felt he wasn't stopping and galloped to the line. 'Josh is a good lad and is getting plenty of experience. He'll ride a lot of winners going forward. This horse is rated 142 and is hard to place. If he's not claimed, he's in the Sales tomorrow.' Sent off 7/4 favourite, the John McConnell-trained Lieutenant Mayne relished the step-up to three miles in the Support The Irish Injured Jockeys Fund Hurdle, which he emphatically, by eleven lengths, from Tag Man. 'I was happy to deputise for Alex Harvey, who is injured,' said winning rider Tiernan Power-Roche, 'He was very good. He loved the ground over the longer trip. The plan was to make it a test of stamina and it worked out great. His jumping was super and he won very well. It was great to ride a winner in these famous McNeill colours.' McConnell said, 'He's a very, very nice horse, really exciting. He lost his way a bit over the winter, with a few issues, but we sorted them out. It's like he's on springs, he's some jumper. We might give him a break now before he goes chasing.' Paddy Cronin's mare Onebrightbluerose, in foal to Mahler, recorded her second course and distance success, under Darragh O'Keeffe, in the first division of the 0-100 handicap hurdle.
