A Grade 3 winner over hurdles, the classy Roseys Hollow opening her account over fences when winning the mares’ beginners’ chase for trainer Jonathan Sweeney at Tipperary on Tuesday. With Simon Torrens riding in the JP McManus colours, the 30/100 favourite made all the running to record a three-length success over Julie Cahsin’s 11/2 shot Thecornerhouse. It was a fourth career success in total for the nine-year-old.
Good As Hell scored a runaway success under Brian Hayes in the two-mile one-furlong handicap chase. Trained by Philip Fenton, the 3/1 chance led after the second-last fence and she raced clear before the last to win by eight lengths from the John Gleeson-trained 5/1 shot Jack Holiday. Eugene O’Sullivan and conditional jockey Eoin Walsh landed the near three-mile opportunity handicap chase with King Ferdinand. Owned by the Gortroe Racing Club, the seven-year-old followed up on his success over hurdles at the same track in May when holding off the late surge of the John McConnell-trained Room To Roam by a neck at odds of 11/2.
Paul Townend had an easier time of things as the Willie Mullins-trained Inclusion won the beginners’ chase over two miles and three furlongs. The 11/10 favourite led before the straight and was clear before the penultimate fence to beat 100/1 chance How Decc by 13 lengths. Search For A Myth, ridden by Phillip Enright for Robert Tyner, took the opening division of the handicap chase, another race over two miles and three furlongs. Also owned by JP McManus, the 15/8 favourite came from off the pace to led after the last and at the line scored by two and a half lengths from the Philip Rothwell-trained Agirlcalledchloe.
Youghal apprentice Killian Hennessy gave Aidan O’Brien his second winner of the day when partnering Henry Adams to win the seven-furlong two-year-old maiden at Naas on Saturday. Hot on the heels of Paddington’s battling success under Ryan Moore in the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown, the 3/1 chance matched his more esteemed stable companion’s winning margin of half a length as he beat the Michael O’Callaghan-trained 10/11 favourite Shihoku on his debut.
County Cork jockeys Mike O’Connor and Eoin Walsh each won a leg of the two and a half-mile opportunity handicap hurdle at Bellewstown on Saturday evening. O’Connor gave Henry de Bromhead his second winner of the week when partnering the Denis Howard-owned Hand Over Fist to take the opening division. The six-year-old both led and disputed the lead throughout and got on top after the final hurdle to win by half a length from the Eoin Griffin-trained Navigator Jack at odds of 5/1. Three-parts of a length was the margin as Banteer’s Eoin Walsh took the second division on the John Burke-trained Our Bobby which is owned by his sister Elaine. The 13/2 chance came from the back of the field to beat another Eoin Griffin-trained runner, Hidalgo Des Mottes, to give Walsh his second success of the week.
Michael O’Sullivan was among the winners at Sligo on Sunday where Red Ball Of Fire won the two-mile one-furlong mares’ handicap hurdle. Trained in Strandhill by Mark McNiff and owned by the Sligo Sopranos Syndicate, the 3/1 chance led after the final hurdle under the Cheltenham Festival-winning to beat the Tom Cooper-trained Delante by three-parts of a length.
Red Ball Of Fire is now the winner of three races and all her success has come at Sligo. Darragh O’Keeffe won the three-mile handicap hurdle on the David Christie-trained Menindee. The 9/1 shot battled well to hold off the John McConnell-trained Dinoland by half a length.
Ballyadam notched up his first success since winning the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse in late 2020 when taking the two and a half-mile beginners’ chase at Wexford on Friday. Formerly trained by Gordon Elliott, the eight-year-old recorded his first victory for Henry de Bromhead as he scored a battling win under Rachael Blackmore. Leading after the final fence, the even money favourite got the better of Willie Mullins’ 9/4 chance Hubrisko by a length and a half with the Paul Nolan-trained Joyeux Machin, at odds of 11/4, a further three and a half lengths back in third place.
Quin trainer John O’Neill landed the concluding two-mile three-furlong handicap chase with Tullyhogue Fort at Tipperary on Tuesday. Twice a winner over hurdles, including at last year’s Listowel festival, the JJ Slevin-ridden seven-year-old opened his account over fences with a three and three-parts of a length win over the Danny Howard-trained Likable Chancer in the colours of Aisling O’Neill and Janeanne O’Neill.
On the eve of the trainer’s 91st birthday, Chris Hayes was on the mark on Kevin Prendergast’s Profit Refused at Roscommon on Tuesday evening. Jointly owned by Prendergast and Jackie Bolger, the 5/6 favourite led passing the two-furlong pole to beat Gavin Cromwell’s Megarry by a length and three-parts on just her second start.
Chris Hayes was a winner again at Tipperary on Wednesday evening where Noel Meade’s Chestnutter took the fillies and mares’ handicap. The No Rush Man Syndicate-owned four-year-old made all the running and she added to her recent Leopardstown success with a two and three-parts of a length win over the Jim Bolger-trained Finsceal Go Deo at odds of 17/2.
For the third day running, Hayes landed a winner as he took the 14-furlong handicap on the Luke Comer-trained Oranmore at Bellewstown on Thursday. An 8/1 chance, he scored by three and a half lengths from the Cormac Farrell-trained Fire Coral, a first success for the seven-year-old.
Billy Lee got a look in at Bellewstown on Friday where he won opening eight-furlong claiming race on 15/2 chance Sunday Sovereign. Trainer James McAuley landed a 1-2 as the six-year-old made all the running to easily beat his own stable companion and 13/8 favourite Bringsty by four and a quarter lengths.
Abbeyfeale’s Paddy Hartnett kept the brilliant run of County Down trainer Leanne Breen going when getting 11/1 shot Livingston Range home in the near six-furlong apprentice handicap at Naas on Saturday. Racing up with the pace, the five-year-old gained a definite advantage early inside the final furlong to beat Denis Hogan’s American In Paris by three-parts of a length in Breen’s own colours.
Conditional jockey Mark McDonagh teamed up with trainer Eoin Griffin to land the feature Bellewstown Handicap Hurdle with Wouldn’t You Agree as the three-day July festival at the County Meath track drew to a close on Saturday evening. The nine-year-old only got into the race as the first reserve and he made the most of the late opportunity to score by three-parts of a length from the Gordon Elliott-trained Set Point.
Good As Hell scored a runaway success for trainer Philip Fenton and owner James Moran in the two-mile one-furlong handicap chase at Tipperary on Tuesday. Ridden by Brian Hayes, the 3/1 chance led after the penultimate fence and she raced clear before the last to win by eight lengths from the John Gleeson-trained 5/1 shot Jack Holiday.
Ryan Moore rode a winner on his first visit west of the Shannon when partnering the Aidan O’Brien-trained Espionage to land the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Lenebane Stakes at Roscommon on Tuesday. The Aidan O’Brien-trained 11/10 favourite was having his first start of the season and he scored a comfortable one and a half-length win over the Jim Bolger-trained Young Ireland. Moore, who rode his 250th winner in Ireland on Auguste Rodin in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday, has now ridden a winner at nine Irish racecourses. Denis Hogan got the better of David Marnane to win the opening division of the seven-furlong apprentice handicap. Siobhan Rutledge was in the saddle as the 11/2 shot battled well to see off Emorcee by a shorthead in the colours of owner Patrick Kelly.
David Marnane landed the opening five-furlong conditions race at Tipperary on Wednesday evening where Lady Tilbury scored a cosy success in the hands of Ronan Whelan. A strong 8/11 favourite, she notched up a third career success when leading inside the final furlong to beat the Ken Condon-trained Harmony Rose by half a length for owners MRC International. County Galway trainer Shane Ryder and Joey Sheridan scored with No Hassle which landed a deserved success in the opening division of the 12-furlong handicap. A runner-up on her previous two starts, she was sent off the 3/1 favourite and readily justified her position at the head of the betting markets when scoring by a length and a half from the John and Thomas Kiely-trained Blackpoint in the colours of the Eyre Racing Partnership. Ben Coen took the second division of the same race with the Tohali Partnership-owned Belgoprince. The 17/2 shot, trained by Tony Martin, held off the Mark Molloy-trained Folly Beach by a head.
Rachael Blackmore won the two and a half-mile handicap hurdle on the Ray Cody-trained Watch The Weather at Tipperary on Thursday. A 15/2 chance, the seven-year-old had any amount in hand as he scored by nine lengths from the Paul Gilligan-trained Shanwalla for owner Sean Connors. Rathvin trainer Harry Kelly landed a 14/1 winner as Walk In Time, ridden by Cian Quirke, took the three-mile handicap hurdle. Owned and bred by John O’Dwyer, the six-year-old went clear before the final hurdle to beat David Fitzgerald’s Emily In Paris by three and a half lengths.
Nathan Crosse was in double form at Bellewstown on Thursday evening where he rode winners for trainers Kevin Coleman and Jim Gorman. He won the eight-furlong handicap for three-year-olds on the Coleman-trained Fleetfootsoldier which scored a comfortable two and a quarter-length win from the Noel Meade-trained Lasting Peace at odds of 5/1. Five lengths was the margin as Jim Gorman’s Plugged In won the opening division of the older-horses’ handicap over the same distance. The 12/1 shot, owned by the Andrews Syndicate, skipped clear early inside the final furlong to beat Tom McCourt’s The Bog Bank. Fethard trainer Niall Stokes won the five-furlong handicap with the Tom Egan-owned 11/10 favourite Curraheen Princess. She scored by a neck at Down Royal on her previous start and followed up when getting the better of the Kevin Coleman-trained Only spoofing by a nose under Andrew Slattery. In the preceding race, the Coleman-trained West Of Africa was pipped by a shorthead by Jessica Harrington’s G’day Mate which is owned by Theresa Marnane. Gordon Elliott added to his winner at Tipperary a couple of hours earlier as the Harry Swan-ridden Party Central won the concluding 12-furlong amateur riders’ race. The Bective Stud-owned 4/6 favourite had plenty in hand as she beat Noel Meade’s Jesse Evans by three and a half lengths.
Gavin Ryan gave local trainer Tom Gibney at winner at Bellewstown on Friday evening where Imposing Supreme took the eight-furlong handicap. The seven-year-old grey led passing the two-furlong pole and came home a two and a quarter-length winner from the Gavin Cromwell-trained Breezy Zoff at odds of 5/1. The even-money favourite Esquiline was a cosy winner under Ben Coen in the 12-furlong fillies’ maiden. Trained by Johnny Murtagh, the 88-rated three-year-old led before the two-furlong pole and drew away to beat the Adrian Murray-trained As Fast As Wind by four and a quarter lengths.
Rachael Blackmore recorded her second winner in as many days as Ballyadam notched up his first success since winning the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse in late 2020 when taking the two and a half-mile beginners’ chase at Wexford on Friday. Formerly trained by Gordon Elliott, the eight-year-old recorded his first victory for Henry de Bromhead as he scored a battling win. Leading after the final fence, the even money favourite got the better of Willie Mullins’ 9/4 chance Hubrisko by a length and a half with the Paul Nolan-trained Joyeux Machin, at odds of 11/4, a further three and a half lengths back in third place.
Hot on the heels of Paddington’s battling success under Ryan Moore in the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown, Aidan O’Brien was on the mark with the Killian Hennessy-ridden Henry Adams in the seven-furlong two-year-old maiden at Naas on Saturday. The 3/1 chance matched his more esteemed stable companion’s winning margin of half a length as he beat the Michael O’Callaghan-trained 10/11 favourite Shihoku on his debut. Also winning at the highest level on the day was Fozzy Stack who took the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes with Aspen Grove. The Oisin Murphy-ridden winner, a first Group or Grade 1 success for Stack, will remain in America under the care of jockey Mark Enright and will run in either the Del Mar Oaks or the Saratoga Oaks next. Fethard trainer Willie Browne won the near six-furlong median sires series race with the strong odds-on favourite Buyin buyin at Naas on Saturday. Ridden by Gary Carroll, the 8/11 chance made all the running to beat the Edward and Patrick Harty-trained Nadowessi by two and a half lengths in the colours of Gaelic Thoroughbreds.
Holycross trainer John Burke gave County Cork conditional jockey Eoin Walsh his second winner of the week as Our Bobby landed the second division of the two and a half-mile handicap hurdle at Bellewstown on Saturday evening. Owned by the trainer sister Elaine, the 13/2 chance came from the back of the field to beat Eoin Griffin’s Hidalgo Des Mottes by three-parts of a length.
Trainer Andy Slattery and conditional jockey Cian Quirke scored a narrow success with 7/4 chance Dark Note in the opening maiden hurdle two-mile one-furlong maiden hurdle at Sligo on Sunday. Owned by the For The Good Times Syndicate, the four-year-old gained the upper hand after the final hurdle to beat the Gordon Elliott-trained 4/7 favourite Shajak by a neck. Harry Swan and Gordon Elliott shared their second success of the week as 2/1 chance Arabian Diamond trounced his rivals in the concluding bumper. The 2/1 chance was clear before the straight and he beat Dermot McLoughlin’s Midleton Rare by 19 lengths.
UPCOMING FIXTURES
Tramore – Tuesday, July 11 (first race 5.15pm)
Dundalk – Wednesday, July 12 (first race 1.55pm)
Fairyhouse – Wednesday, July 12 (first race 4.50pm)
Downpatrick – Thursday, July 13 (first race 2.40pm)
Leopardstown – Thursday, July 13 (first race 5.15pm)
Kilbeggan – Friday, July 14 (first race 5pm)
Cork – Friday, July 14 (first race 4.40pm)
Navan – Saturday, July 15 (rirst race 2.10pm)
