Latest news with #WannabeRoyal
Irish Examiner
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Expect a Red Letter day in Killarney
Day three of Killarney's July festival is also the last of the week's Flat action at the Kerry venue, and the feature race is the listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Cairn Rouge Stakes, which can go the way of the Ger Lyons-trained Red Letter. A high-class sort at two, she made her return to action in the Newmarket 1000 Guineas and ran a fine race to finish seventh, beaten less than three lengths, behind Desert Flower. On the back of that, she was sent off favourite to get back to winning ways in a listed race at Navan but, after being ridden confidently from off the pace, she was unable to get by the sticky Barnavara, who made all and got first run. Clear of the remainder that day, it was a good effort and she can bounce back with victory here before making her way back up the grading ladder. Fiery Lucy has decent claims, but a more appealing each-way alternative is Wannabe Royal. Joseph O'Brien's filly has proven form with cut in the ground and while she has something to find with the main players on their official ratings, the conditions can bring them much closer together. The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, for three-year-olds and older, is a fascinating race, but there was a lot to be taken from the opening effort of Hellorhighwater, and he can land the spoils for Gavin Cromwell and Robert Whearty. Unraced at two, he made his debut last month in Limerick and finished runner-up to the cleverly ridden Valorous Power. Tucked in just a little behind the pace, he emerged as the sole threat to the winner in the straight but showed his inexperience as he hung in towards the rails initially. When the penny dropped, he picked up really nicely and was doing his best work in the shadow of the post. He is a really nice prospect and, with anticipated progress, he should take plenty of beating in this race. Jousting is bound to be popular in the betting, but he will need to see out his race much better than he did on debut if he is to make the step forward to winning a maiden. The consistent Chester Nimitz has some place claims, but it would be noteworthy if money came for Michael O'Callaghan's newcomer, Adieu Spirit, an Invincible Spirit colt who went from being a 28,000 Guineas yearling to a 180,000 two-year-old. Still She Blooms deserves a breakthrough victory and can get it, at the twelfth time of asking, in the Rose Hotel Handicap. Last time out, in a nine-furlong race on soft ground at Leopardstown, she attempted to make all but was unlucky to be run down dep inside the final furlong by Deuteronomy. In similar conditions, well drawn and, ideally, back one furlong, to a mile, Chris Timmons' filly can finally have her day.
Irish Examiner
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Wannabe Royal sparks Browne McMonagle treble at Limerick
Placed in her three previous starts, the Joseph O'Brien-trained Wannabe Royal impressed when making all to take the seven-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden, sparking a treble for her trainer and stable jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle, in Limerick. Sent straight into the lead by Browne McMonagle, the Wootton Bassett filly dictated things, skipped clear early in the straight and romped home six lengths clear of Indigo Dream. 'Dylan kept it simple,' said O'Brien's representative Michael Halford. 'She showed early pace and hit the line strong. She's a forward-goer and was entitled to win her maiden like that. She'll go another furlong and I'm sure the aim will be to get black type." The Donegal-born rider produced a tactical masterclass when completing a stable double on board well-backed Evening Blossom, wearing a first-time tongue-tie, in the Great National South Coast Handicap, dictating a steady pace and, ultimately, finding enough to beat favourite Fort Vega by a half-length. 'She's a grand straight-forward, tough filly, with a great temperament,' said the winning rider. 'She got tired the last day and came forward well. She wasn't in love with the ground but coped and, hopefully, she'll keep improving through the ranks." Browne McMonagle had to work hard to deliver the O'Brien treble, using all his strength to bring 6-5 favourite Out For A Stroll with a sustained late challenge to foil Slieve Bearnagh in the D & E Behan Handicap. 'She's lazy but tough and kept finding for pressure,' said the rider. 'It's great to get her head in front on the Flat and she should improve.' The Carriganog combination had been expected to score earlier with Hostility in the Irish Stallion farms EBF Maiden. But the 11-10 favourite lost out by a half-length to Paddy Twomey's Admiral Churchill, enterprisingly ridden by Billy Lee. 'He likes these tracks and looks a bit intimidated when he ran at the Curragh,' explained Twomey. 'His owner is based in Yorkshire and we might bring this fellow to the Dante meeting, for a seven-furlong three-year-old handicap.' Bay Colony, third in the Naas maiden in which Wannabe Royal was second last time, further boosted the form when, stepping-up in trip, she battled well to take the 11-furlong fillies maiden for Fozzy Stack and Seamus Heffernan. Three jockeys were in trouble with the Limerick stewards, Ronan Whelan (five days) and Declan McDonogh (four days) receiving whip bans while Shane Foley was handed a two-day careless riding ban. In Kilbeggan, Henry de Bromhead received a significant pre-Punchestown boost, registering a tremendous treble. Darragh O'Keeffe partnered top-weight and handicap debutante Magic Day to land the SIS Mares Handicap Hurdle and delivered the last leg when 16-1 shot Freddie Robdal proved a shock winner of the SIS-sponsored Handicap Chase. And Rachael Blackmore provided the middle leg of the Knockeen haul, on board odds-on favourite Look To The West, who proved too strong for Gaoth Chuil in the mares' beginners chase.
