Latest news with #Slatterys
Irish Examiner
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Romeo Sensini takes giant leap forward with Roscommon win
Unplaced on his debut here last week, Romeo Sensini, a son of Magna Grecia, took a significant step forward to bolt up, for the Slatterys, in the Irish EBF Auction Series 2-Y-0 Maiden at Roscommon, powering clear up the straight to slam Check This Out by 10 lengths. 'He was very green and raw behind horses last week and never got going,' explained trainer Andy Slattery Sr. 'But he's a nice horse and came on a lot for the run. There's a Hong Kong connection with his owners, so he might end up out there.' Placed in his three previous starts, the Joseph O'Brien-trained Omni Man opened his account when easily brushing aside front-running odds-on favourite Mocking in the JTW Distribution Roscommon Race. Having stalked the pace, Declan McDonogh asked the Invincible Spirit colt to tackle the favourite with less than two furlongs to race and, soon in command, he stretched away to triumph by seven and a half lengths. Michael Halford, representing O'Brien, said: 'He's a nice, big, progressive horse. He loved the ground and the step-up in trip and Declan said he quickened well when he asked him. The race set up lovely for him and he should improve with racing.' Having ridden three winners in England last week, Shane Foley hit the target for his boss Jessica Harrington when guiding Thrifty Of Digby to a gutsy, all-the-way win in the Abbey Hotel Roscommon Handicap, holding off Vierson by a length and a quarter. 'It wasn't the plan to make it,' admitted Foley. 'But, after watching the first few races, I decided to let her roll along after the way she jumped – we reverted to Plan B. She enjoyed the ground and being in front and it all worked out well.' Upped in trip, the Paddy Magee-trained Coulstys Way, a seven-race maiden, readily reversed Tipperary form with hot favourite Onemoredance (fourth) in the (0-70) Racing Again Here On June 9th Handicap. The four-year-old filly was an eighth winner of the season for talented 3lb claimer Robert Whearty. And Wesley Joyce was seen to good effect on the Philip Byrne-trained nine-year-old Out On Friday, also adopting successful, front-running tactics in the Garvey's Bar Ballintubber Handicap, the gelding's eighth success.
Irish Examiner
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Mataariki makes all to land Gowran Park spoils
Successful on this track on her debut last year, Mataariki made all to land the €30,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap for Joseph O'Brien on a Gowran Park card given the go-ahead after a morning inspection. Sent off the 3-1 joint-favourite, the Cracksman filly dictated the pace under Dylan Browne McMonagle, poached a clear lead early in the straight, and kept on well to beat Marakesh by a length and a half. 'A couple of her runs last year have worked out well and she's learning the whole time,' stated O'Brien. 'We've experimented with different trips, but Dylan feels seven is a good trip for her. 'She enjoys juice in the ground and this race has been good for us (O'Brien has won four of the last five renewals). These super competitive fillies handicaps are very important. We'll try to find another one for her and we'll try for some black type again at some stage.' It was Donnacha O'Brien's turn to taste success in the one-mile fillies' maiden as Gavin Ryan partnered 3-1 favourite Dahlia Noir to a narrow victory over Lady Lilac. 'She was rated to win a maiden, so it's great to get the job done,' commented the trainer. 'She has loads of ability but keeps a bit for herself — Gavin said she idled when she hit the front. She should be better in a better race. And we'll try to find a handicap that suits her.' Irish 1,000 Guineas entry Varshini, ridden for Fozzy Stack by Seamus Heffernan, ran out a convincing winner of the seven-furlong Gowran Park Golf Club Maiden, beating the consistent Kilmood Susan. 'She had a good run last year, but had a few niggly hold-ups,' explained Stack. 'She probably needs a dig in the ground and I hope she comes forward from today. She's in the Irish Guineas, but that'll come a bit quick. We'll try to find a nice stakes race for her somewhere.' Successful on his seasonal debut at Naas for Mick Mulvany, Dance For Chester followed up on his first start for Stephen Thorne when justifying 11-10 favouritism in the Dining Packages At Gowran Park 3-Y-0 Handicap, providing Jack Kearney with another success at the County Kilkenny track. The Ribchester gelding travelled strongly into the lead before holding off the Mulvany-trained longshot James The Second by three-quarters of a length. Mulvany enjoyed a tonic in the following Thomastown Handicap when Dinamine opened his account, at the 35th attempt, earning the spoils, on the nod, over Serengeti Sunrise. 'I had him as a two-year-old and he was a goodish horse, but he went away and only came back a couple of months ago,' explained Mulvany. 'We found out a bit about him and it's great that he's won for his owner/breeder Seán Finnegan.' Despite a tardy start, Scott Key (100-30 favourite) bolted up by almost five lengths for the Slatterys in the Irish Injured Jockeys Handicap, his second venture into handicap company. Winning trainer Andy Slattery said: 'I was hoping he'd do that, to get him into the premier handicap in Naas on Monday (the Blackwater 3-Y-0 Handicap). 'He was very big as a two-year-old and green the last day in Cork, but he improved a lot. If he's okay, he'll go to Naas, with a 7lb mandatory penalty.' And Shane Foley gave Yvonne Latta's Spring Evening a well-judged front-running ride to win the finale, the @gowranpoark1 Handicap, dictating the pace and, ultimately, holding the late flourish of favourite Elle Dorado Rock by a half-length. The lightly-raced five-year-old should give the Latta team plenty of fun as a dual-purpose performer.
