Slattery has nothing to Apologise for at Killarney

There was a real family success as Apologise landed the opening division of the eleven-furlong handicap at Killarney on Monday.

A first winner for Andrew Slattery in the colours of his mother, Mary, the three-year-old is trained by his father, Andy and raced to a one and a quarter-length success over the Jarlath Fahey-trained Bayou Belle.

Owned and bred by Ballygallon Stud, the Rachael Blackmore-ridden War Correspondent made a winning start to his jumping career with a game success in the three-year-old maiden hurdle at Punchestown on TuesdayTrained by Ray Cody, the 7/2 shot led after the final flight to beat the Noel Meade-trained favourite Bridgehead by half a length.

Trainer Andy Slattery was a winner again as 7/1 chance But What scored a narrow success in the concluding bumper at Punchestown on Wednesday. Owned and bred by Slattery’s parents, Billy and Margaret, the four-year-old battled well under Aidan Ryan to beat the Noel Meade-trained Fermoyle by a head, a fourth winner of the season for the 18-year-old rider.

Aidan O'Brien recorded a treble at the Curragh on Thursday where he shared the first two winners of the afternoon with Seamie Heffernan and the later twelve-furlong maiden with Wayne Lordan. Heffernan was on board as favourite Paddington scored a five-length win in the seven-furlong maiden for two-year-olds.

He followed up straight away with an eight-length win on Hispanic in the two-year-old five-furlong maiden. Lordan had to work a little harder for his success on odds-on favourite Harley Street, the three-year-old pushed out to beat the Joseph O'Brien-trained Hibernia Oppositus by a length and a quarter.

Denis Hogan gave apprentice Sean Bowen his fourth winner of the season as Tawaazon landed the opening division of the seven-furlong handicap at Dundalk on Friday. In the colours of the Premier Racing Club, the four-year-old led inside the final furlong and gamely held the James McAuley-trained Instrumental by a shorthead.

Aidan O'Brien was back among the winners at Leopardstown on Saturday where he recorded a 1-2 in the eight-furlong maiden for two-year-olds. Victory went the way of the Seamie Heffernan-ridden favourite Peking Opera which got the better of Bettinelli by half a length.

Wayne Lordan completed a double for the champion trainer as favourite Cairo scored a clearcut success in the Group 3 Killavullan Stakes. Again, Ballydoyle runners dominated as the Heffernan-ridden Sierra Blanca took the runner-up spot, two and three-parts of a length behind the taking winner.

There was a notable success for jockey Nathan Crosse who partnered the Willie McCreery-trained Self Belief to win the Listed Trigo Stakes. Owned and bred by Ballylinch Stud, the 8/1 chance led in the final stride to deny the Johnny Murtagh-trained Kerkiyra by a head to give Crosse the biggest win of his career just nine days after he rode out his claim.

Aidan O'Brien and Wayne Lordan won the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Garnet Stakes at Naas on Sunday with the 108-rated Toy. A trip to the Breeders’ Cup could be on the cards for the smart three-year-old which led just before the furlong pole and gamely held the Gavin Cromwell-trained Sunset Shiraz by half a length.

Upcoming Meetings

Navan – Wednesday, October 19 (First Race 1.40pm)

Thurles – Thursday, October 20 (First Race 2.00pm)

Sligo – Friday, October 21 (First Race 1.50pm)

Dundalk – Friday, October 21 (First Race 5.30pm)

Leopardstown – Saturday, October 22 (First Race 1.25pm)

Curragh – Sunday, October 23 (First Race 1.25pm)

Limerick – Sunday, October 23 (First Race 1.50pm)