On the back of a successful return to action three days previously, Jordan Gainford was again among the winners at Downpatrick on Monday. The Kiltealy jockey was on the sidelines for close to four months and he added to the two winners he rode on his Kilbeggan reappearance with another double at the northern venue. The first of his winners came in the shape of the David Christie-trained Paidi’s Passion which took the two-mile five-furlong handicap hurdle by a length and three-parts at odds of 11/2. Gordon Elliott supplied Gainford’s second winner as 13/2 chance Irish Blaze took the concluding two-mile two-furlong handicap chase. The Pony Sopranos Syndicate-owned seven-year-old arrived late to beat the Philip Rothwell-trained Berliet Express by a length and a quarter.
Camolin conditional jockey James O’Sullivan recorded a double of his own at Ballinrobe on Monday on two horses trained by Rothwell. The trainer’s fine run of form continued as Quarry Rocco built on a promising first run over hurdles at the Galway festival to win the opening opportunity maiden hurdle for owner Oliver Barden. The 9/4 favourite led approaching the final flight and held the Oliver McKiernan-trained Silver King by a length and a quarter. The 18/1 shot Deons Diamond won the two-mile six-furlong mares’ maiden hurdle to complete the double for both men. The four-year-old made all the running and had any amount in hand as she scored by six and a half lengths from the Eugene O’Sullivan-trained Amazing May in the colours of the Erris Coast Syndicate which is headed up by Tom Doran.
Trainer Liz Doyle won the opening division of the two-mile one-furlong handicap hurdle at Bellewstown on Wednesday with the Seven Irish Angels Syndicate-owned Applejack Poet. One of four 9/2 co-favourites in the race, the Tom Harney-ridden six-year-old held off the Gordon Elliott-trained Be My Hero, another of the betting market leaders, by a head.
Bridgetown trainer Seamus Neville and Taghmon’s Sean O’Keeffe combined to win the two and a half-mile handicap hurdle at Wexford on Friday evening with Brideswell Lad. A winner over fences on the same card 12 months ago, the seven-year-old took his career tally to seven wins as he got the better of the John Burke-trained Our Bobby by half a length. He now heads to the Listowel Festival where the Guinness Kerry National is the preferred choice of connections. Joyeux Machin added to his win over hurdles at the track as he landed the rated novice chase for Paul Nolan and Sean Flanagan. The first two fences in the straight were omitted due to the low-lying sun and the 7/2 chance headed the front-running Effernock Fizz close to the finish to score by a length and a quarter. The three-mile one-furlong handicap chase went the way of the Colin Bowe-trained North Of Nashville which was ridden by Jordan Gainford. The Leo McArdle-owned six-year-old recovered from a mistake at the first fence and she led at the third-last before racing clear for a 14-length success from the John McConnell-trained Room To Roam.
Conor Stone-Walsh rode the first of his weekend winners as Stay Local took the opening division of the 10-furlong apprentice handicap at Navan on Saturday. Trained on the Curragh by Aidan Howard for owner JP McManus, the 5/1 shot led over a furlong out and scored by half a length from the Tim Doyle-trained Alfalfa. The young apprentice scored again as he partnered Joseph O’Brien’s French import Caracal to win the conditions’ race over the extended seven furlongs at Tipperary on Sunday afternoon. The 13/2 chance had a little in hand as he scored by three-parts of a length from the Ger Lyons-trained Lust on his first start since April of last year. It was his 20th career success.
Upcoming Fixtures
Gowran Park – Wednesday, September 6 (First Race 2.20pm)
Cork – Wednesday, September 6 (First Race 4.29pm)
Clonmel – Thursday, September 7 (First Race 4.20pm)
Kilbeggan – Friday, September 8 (First Race 4.02pm)
Down Royal – Friday, September 8 (First Race 3.50pm)
Leopardstown – Saturday, September 9 (First Race 1.45pm)
Curragh – Sunday, September 10 (First Race 1.50pm)
