CREPELLO - Denis Hogan continues fine season with Gowran Park victory

Denis Hogan has enjoyed a fine season in both codes, and he added further to his tally when saddling Dutch Schaefer to land the extended mile handicap in the hands of star apprentice Joey Sheridan at Gowran Park last week.

Barely a week after she opened her account at Limerick, for which she incurred a 9lb penalty, the daughter of Dutch Art was always up with the pace. She moved ahead of her field early in the straight and with Sheridan keeping her up to her work defeated You Owe Me Money by three-parts of a length.

This was a likeable display by the winner and while she is bound to get a further hike in the weights, she can still be competitive in this type of contest.

If ever a filly deserved to shed her maiden tag it was Sunset Shiraz who was an impressive winner of the mile filly’s maiden.

Having been placed in a host of listed and group races this autumn she looked a penalty kick and so it proved even though her starting price of 1/7 hardly lined the pockets of her supporters.

Jockey Gary Carroll played his hand right from the drop of the flag by sending the daughter of Time Test into the lead and she never saw another rival she passed the post six lengths to the good from Princess Azure.

Winning trainer Gavin Cromwell told me that she is a very straightforward individual with a great attitude. She will now go into winter quarters and will aimed at one of the guineas trials in the spring.

Cromwell and Carroll went on to complete a double when Dutch Schultz simply bolted up in the second division of the mile and six handicap.

The Over The Sticks gelding went into many a notebook when finishing fifth in the amateur maiden at Galway on his Irish debut and he fairly routed his rivals here to the tune of eight lengths.

In his post-race reflections, Cromwell revealed that his charge was having just his fourth race of his career and he rates him highly. He will now go hurdling but could return to the level sometime next year if a suitable race came up. He is versatile in terms of ground, so it gives the trainer plenty of options.

Edward O'Grady and Billy Lee teamed up to land the first division of the mile and six handicap courtesy of Act Of God. A more than useful dual-purpose animal, the son of Camelot belied his starting price of 14/1 as he came from off the pace to lead a furlong or so out and repel the challenge of Autumn Evening by half a length.

Another classy dual purpose performer, Stratum showed his well-being when he justified strong support to land the featured two-mile and seven conditions hurdle in the hands of Jack Foley.

After tracking the leaders early on, the eight-year-old moved into contention before the straight where Foley popped the question before the second last and from there the combination drew away to defeat Doctor Duffy by eight lengths.

A widely travelled individual, Stratum has been servant to connections amassing prize-money of over €350,000 and as he is only an eight-year-old, the story is far from finished.

One of several top-class young riders to emerge this season, Jack Foley has struck up a good partnership with trainer Willie Mullins. He is great value for his 5lb riding allowance and if avoiding injury can go a long way in this most competitive of sports.

Ninemilehouse trainer John Cahill caused an 18/1 upset when taking the bumper with Bubbles In May.

Bred by Cahill and owned by his wife Margaret, the Stowaway mare started favourite on her racecourse debut at Ballinrobe over a year ago only to finish second. She has shown precious little since then, but reports suggest that she was all wrong until recently when she began to show some of her old sparkle.

Ahead soon after the start, she saw off a number of challengers before landing the spoils by four and a half lengths from Recognize.

A three-part sister to Champagne Fever, the winner will have a run over hurdles if the ground remains good otherwise, she will go to the breeding paddocks in the spring

Ray Hackett will be smiling all the way to the bank after scooping first prize of €5,000 in the inaugural Gain The Advantage Series, a flat season long initiative which began at Leopardstown in April, taking in races in Cork, Navan, Ballinrobe, Fairyhouse, Tipperary and the Curragh before concluding at Naas.

In all Hackett won three races in the series while his young apprentice Conor Clarke was on board two, including McZie who gave the rider his first winner when the Navan series. Congratulations to all concerned.