Tipperary Racing Scene
Cian Quirke landed an 18/1 winner at Cork on Bank Holiday Monday as he scored a narrow victory on the Philip Rothwell-trained Ricky Langford in the two-mile one-furlong handicap hurdle. The Kings Horses Syndicate-owned nine-year-old landed his sixth career win as he got the better of the Ray Hackett-trained Sequoiaspirit by a shorthead.
Ben Coen won the €300,000 Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes on the Hugo Palmer-trained Golden Trick at Naas on Bank Holiday Monday. English raiders filled the first two spots in the race with the 13/2 chance holding off the late surge of Kevin Ryan’s Jungle Mate by half a length.
The Gavin Ryan-ridden Craft Irish readily defied top-weight to win the near six-furlong fillies’ handicap. Trained by Pat Murphy for the J & J Racing Partnership, the five-year-old was a little sluggish in the early stages of the race but she was well on top at the line when getting the better of the Johnny Murtagh-trained Wave Machine by three lengths.
Knocklong amateur jockey Patrick Gleeson rode his first winner when partnering the Pat O’Donnell-trained Extensio to take the two-mile maiden hurdle at Roscommon on Tuesday. The six-year-old led over the third-last hurdle and was nicely clear over the last to score by three and a quarter lengths from the Charles Byrnes-trained Reverend Hubert. Gleeson, a nephew of trainer John Gleeson, only began riding in point-to-points last December and he partnered his first winner in that sphere in a novice riders' race at Rathcannon in April.
Mark Fahey gave jockey Gavin Ryan the first of his two winners at the meeting as Chica Linda took the 10-furlong handicap for three-year-olds. Owned by the Trouble & Strife Syndicate, the 9/1 chance made most of the running and beat the Mags Mullins-trained favourite Spinning Web by a length.
Ryan completed his double when giving local trainer Mark McNiff his second winner of the week as Kami took the five and a half-furlong handicap. Owned by Janice Doyle, the three-year-old lost a little ground to her rivals leaving the stalls and she raced in last place until making her move turning for home. Under a well-timed effort from the saddle, she got up close to the finish to pip the John McConnell-trained Redshore City by half a length.
Amateur rider Harry Swan gave Westmeath trainer Ciaran Murphy a bumper success at Sligo on Thursday where the Sean Reilly-owned I Am Shadow scored in good style. The 5/1 chance came from off the pace to win by a length and a quarter from the Harry Kelly-trained Adela Icon with Willie Mullins’ favourite Mount Sinai back in third place.
Apprentice Sean Bowen was first off the mark at Tipperary on Friday where he won the five-furlong maiden on the Andrew Kinirons-trained Elda. The 6/1 chance got the better of a protracted battle with Fozzy Stack’s favourite Never Shout Never to score by three-parts of a length.
The conditions’ race over the same distance went the way of the David Marnane-trained Lady Tilbury. Ridden by Luke McAteer, the MRC International-owned three-year-old got the better of Harmony Rose well inside the final furlong to win by half a length.
Ben Coen led home a 1-2 for Upton trainer John Murphy in the seven-furlong maiden. His mount Space Age ran out a cosy winner as he got the better of his stable companion Helter Skelter by three and a half lengths.
Cashel trainer Sam Curling scored an easy win with the five-year-old Sarah Beara in the three-mile handicap hurdle at Wexford on Friday. Ridden by Phillip Enright, the Mark Byrne-owned five-year-old led at the fourth-last hurdle and went clear to win by a facile five and a half lengths from Liam Cusack’s Will It Be You.
Aidan O'Brien shared two odds-on winners with Ryan Moore at the Curragh on Saturday. They took the opening seven-furlong maiden for two-year-olds with Diego Velazquez, the 2.4 million guineas yearling impressing with a four and three-parts of a length win over the Joe Murphy-trained Guildenstern. The pair also won the two-year-old six-furlong maiden with Cherry Blossom which scored a five-length win over Darren Bunyan’s Chandigah.
Paddy Twomey and Billy Lee won the two-year-old seven-furlong fillies’ race with A Lilac Rolla. She added to last month’s debut success at Cork when getting up in the final stride to pip the O'Brien-trained Opera Singer by a head.
Trainer Martin Hassett and his grand-nephew Wayne combined to win the six-furlong handicap with Secret Magician. A well-supported favourite, the four-year-old got up in the final strides to pip Leanne Breen’s front-runner Livingston Range, ridden by Oisin Murphy, by a neck.
Denis Hogan won the three-mile one-furlong conditions’ hurdle at Kilbeggan on Saturday with Macgiloney. The Michael Moloney-owned ten-year-old landed his first success when winning a bumper at the track in April 2018 and, with Daniel King in the saddle, he notched up his eleventh career victory with a thoroughly convincing five-length win over the Willie Mullins-trained Stratum.
Sean Bowen notched up another success as he won the seven-furlong handicap at the Curragh on Sunday on the Tim Doyle-trained Goldmoyne. The 40/1 chance, owned and bred by the trainer’s wife Claire, made most of the running and beat the Edward Lynam-trained Gosford by a length and a half.
Gary Carroll rode his first winner for trainer Aidan O'Brien as he partnered Unless to take the Listed Michael John Kennedy Memorial Irish EBF Stakes. The Yorkshire Oaks is a possible target for the winner which readily got the better of the Dermot Weld-trained Azazat by a length and three-parts.
Edward O'Grady sent out Gwan Tadhg to win the two-mile one-furlong handicap hurdle at Downpatrick on Sunday. The six-year-old is owned by the trainer’s son Jonathan and he scored by a length and a half from the Mark McNiff-trained Fassbender in the hands of Mark McDonagh who was riding a winner on his first ride for the trainer.
HURLING FOR CANCER
Jim Bolger and Davy Russell have finalised their star-studded teams for the annual Hurling for Cancer Research match which takes place in Netwatch Cullen Park, Carlow next Monday, August 21 at 6.00pm.
A galaxy of sports stars, including some of Ireland’s top hurlers and jockeys have been confirmed for the must-see battle between the two teams with Wexford and Kilkenny legends Liam Griffin and Brian Cody acting as Bainisteoirs.
A who’s who of GAA, racing, sports and TV stars including David and Paudie Clifford, Rachael Blackmore, Ursula Jacob, Paul McGrath, Miriam O’Callaghan, Michael Duignan, Kevin Manning, Willie McCreery, Barry Geraghty, Marty Morrissey, and Joanne O’Riordan are among those set to lend a hand as selectors, commentators, side-line officials, umpires and Maor Uisce for the game.
Upcoming Meetings
Gowran Park – Wednesday, August 16 (First Race 4.35pm)
Leopardstown – Thursday, august 17 (First Race 5.05pm)
Tramore – Thursday, August 17 (First Race 5.15pm)
Tramore – Friday, August 18 (First Race 4.25pm)
Cork – Friday, August 18 (First Race 4.50pm)
Curragh – Saturday, August 19 (First Race 1.45pm)
Tramore – Saturday, August 19 (First Race 4.45pm)
Curragh – Sunday, August 20 (First Race 2.05pm)
Tramore – Sunday, August 20 (First Race 2.20pm)