Latest news with #MyGirlSioux
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
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Rogue Legend can get punters off to flying start at Cork
Flat action Tuesday evening in Mallow, where Rogue Legend can get punters off to the best possible start by taking the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden for Paddy Twomey and Billy Lee. The juvenile made his racing debut over course and distance a fortnight ago and ran a race of promise when taking second place behind the previously raced Oh Cecelia. He hung left towards the stands' side rail at a crucial point of the race but when able to switch back out, he finished off to good effect. While the winner was a shade comfortable at the line, the selection can be expected to be much more streetwise this time, and that should be enough to make him hard to beat. Raphello was a couple of places behind him on that occasion and will do well to reverse the form. Baker Blue is feared more. He finished third behind the potentially very smart Joyful Tidings on his only start to date and showed plenty of pace in doing so. With that run under his belt, and the stable looking as though it is about to strike form, he can run a big race. The second race, Follow Us On Social Media Handicap, is a fascinating contest. Tropical Retreat probably won't be streetwise enough to come out on top but there is little doubt Tom Mullins' twice-raced filly will, in time at least, prove much better than her mark of 72. An eyecatcher on debut, she won second time up, over the minimum trip, at Dundalk, and the way she travelled through that race had an unmistakable quality about it. She was green under pressure but forged on close home to win by half a length. Value for considerably more than the winning margin, she is a smart sort in the making, and worth noting in the market. In race three, the five-furlong, 0-60 handicap, the selection is An Laochmor, though the threat of the thoroughly frustrating My Girl Sioux looms large. In late March, the selection ran a fine race in defeat in a five-furlong race at Navan but was caught in the closing stages. Upped to six furlongs next time, he ran another good race but was unable to sustain his effort inside the final hundred yards. Back to five today, the four-year-old, who has plenty of natural speed, can get off the mark at the eighth time of asking. To date, only Cian Horgan has managed to coax My Girl Sioux across the line in front, and that record of one win from 46 starts is a glaring concern. Runner-up eight times, four of which have been since January, on her latest outing, which was just three days ago, she went to the front inside the quarter-mile pole, only to be picked off by Devil's Angel. If returned to waiting tactics, she will be a danger — and she certainly couldn't be begrudged a long overdue second win — but her record suggests she'll find one too good.
