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Continued success on the racing front for Avondhu area connections abroad. Photo: 123RF

WEEK 37 - 9th-15th SEPTEMBER, 2013

Another good week for Avondhu area locals who continue to bring home the winners, 9 wins in total recorded last week and no let up in sight.

KENIRY ROCKS UP WITH THREE MORE WINNERS

Killeagh flat jockey, Liam Keniry rode three winners for the second week running, the most notable of which was Rock Up (4/1) for trainer David Elsworth in a class 4 maiden over 5f at Bath on September 15th last.

With only four runners going to post, three of which were fillies, Rock Up the only male in the field, broke well from an inside draw to grab the rail and lead. Dominating the pace and showing plenty of early speed, it wasn't long before Rock Up put daylight between himself and his nearest rival Talqaa (14/1).

Travelling with ease in front, Keniry asked his mount for more at the two furlong marker and the response was immediate. Galloping on resolutely to the one pole, Rock Up never looked in any trouble and ran on strongly to win with plenty in hand. A winning distance of five lengths says it all and Keniry could afford a few quick glances over his shoulder as he eased his mount to the line.

Recording his first win at the thirteenth attempt, Rock Up has been placed in half of all his starts and wasn't winning out of turn here. A three year old son of Kheleyf, Rock Up comes from a good family and his mother is a half sister to high class six time grade 1 winner Acclaimation.

Peter Maughan, representing trainer David Elsworth, went on to say, "Rock Up has always shown us a lot at home, but not done it on the racecourse until today. He hasn't seen another horse today and that was more like it."

Keniry and Elsworth went on to record a double on that same Bath card, when Sleepy Sioux (9/2) went on to win the opening Class 4 Fillies Maiden over 5.5f. Wearing blinkers for the first time, this two year old daughter of Sleeping Indian, again made all under Keniry, even though she was headed entering the final furlong. Experience seemed the key factor here, as Sleepy Sioux looked beaten by Miss Atomic Bomb (5/1), until that rival drifted left close home, handing the initiative back to Keniry, who duly took control to win by a neck at the line.

Liam Keniry, winning jockey went onto say, "Sleepy Sioux knew her job and the blinkers have made a difference and when the other horse came to her she went on again."

Keniry's third and final winner came aboard the Philip Hide trained Kamchatka (3/1), who was following up his course and distance win at Brighton in a class 5 handicap over 7f on September 9th last. Keniry's trademark front running tactics were again in evidence, as he again made all on the three year old.

Keniry went on to say, "He doesn't want to do it unless he's in front, and it's difficult to make ground in those conditions. The ground was very firm when he won here last time and he seemed to like it, so it was a risk, but it was a risk worth taking."

LANE SOLID AS A ROCK

Kilworth native and flat jockey Martin Lane was back in good form last week riding two nice winners. His most notable win came aboard the David Simcock trained Breton Rock (12/1) in a class 2 handicap over 7f at Doncaster on September 11th last.

Breaking well from an inside draw in this 16-runner contest, Lane was happy to drop his mount in rear behind the early pacesetter Masarah (33/1). Still in last position to the halfway point, Breton Rock travelled smoothly in his jockey’s hands and taking closer order to the three pole, he could be seen making a huge swinging move around the whole field. Picking off the whole 15-runner field easily, Lane found himself in front well inside the two furlong

marker. Now getting serious in the saddle, Lane drove Breton Rock into a one length lead, only to have One More Word (25/1) come out of the pack and get to his girth well inside the final furlong. Riding only hands and heels, Lane seemed confident he had plenty left under the bonnet and he duly went onto score by half a length at the line.

This was a very taking performance from the three year old son of Bahamian Bounty. Winning his third race from just five starts under Lane, Breton Rock looks up to graded company on this evidence. Rated 92 here, 100 beckons for the John Cook owned gelding and he may now take his chance in listed or group company.

Martin Lane winning jockey went onto say, "He loves this sort of ground and has been gelded since his last run. He's been rearing up in the stalls in his last few races and it seems to have done the trick."

Lane's second winner came aboard the Ed Dunlop trained Singersongwriter (15/8f) in a Class 4 Fillies' Handicap over 1m2f at Ffos Las on September 15th last. Slowly away from the gate, Singersongwriter recovered well to lead the field of eight, fully one mile from home. With testing conditions prevalent, it made

sense to save as much energy as possible on all horses. Lane read the script and never sighted another horse, Singersongwriter going on to win by half a length from Rosaceous (8/1) back in second place.

Upped in trip and class here, Singersongwriter was winning for the second time in just four starts. A daughter of Raven's Pass, she is a valuable breeding prospect, being a half sister to dual group 1 winner Mount Nelson and group 2 winner Monitor Closely.

Martin Lane, winning jockey went onto say, "She idled in front and then picked up when she heard the other horse coming. It was only her third run of the year and she'll come on for this."

O'MEARA STILL SETTING THE TREND

Fermoy native and trainer David O'Meara has no intention of slowing down and his Nawton yard bagged another three winners last week. His most notable winner came with Set The Trend (7/1), who went on to score under champion jockey Richard Hughes in a Class 4 Conditions Stakes over 7f at Lingfield on September 14th.

With only six runners going to post, Set The Trend and Hughes broke well from the gate and settled on the inside rail in second place, tracking the pacesetter Grey Mirage, off what looked a good pace. With the leader now tight against that inside rail, Hughes switched his mount to the outside. Travelling sweetly to the two furlong marker, Set The Trend cruised upsides that rival, only for two other challengers to emerge to his outside in the shape of Intibaah (3/1) and Mar Mar (11/4f).

With four horses now in line and duelling to the furlong marker, it was heads down and all hands to the pump. Intibaah hit the front with 100 yards to go and looked sure to win only for Hughes to get a renewed response from Set The Trend. Clawing back the deficit with every yard, Hughes joined Intibaah right on the line to force a photo finish, finally getting the verdict by a short head.

Winning his seventh race in total, Set The Trend rated 100, has done all his winning under a mile and has a listed win to his name in 2011. He seems very versatile regarding ground conditions, the first time visor helped and connections now have more options with him in the bigger Saturday handicaps.

O'Meara went onto record another two winners with Thornaby Nash (9/2) scoring in a Class 5 2yo Handicap over 7f at Redcar on September 10th under Danny Tudhope. The Kheleyf colt was winning for the first time on this, his fifth start.

The third and final winner for team O'Meara came with Confusing (9/1) in a Class 5 Handicap over 1m at Carlisle on September 11th, again with Tudhope aboard. The three year old Refuse To Bend filly was also winning for the first time on this, her ninth start. She was previously trained by Eoin O'Neill in France. O'Meara and his team have now recorded 114 winners on the flat since January 1st, 2013.

THE JOYS OF IT ALL, THE UPS AND THE DOWNS

Castletownroche native and trainer Jonjo O'Neill added another winner to his ever increasing seasonal total when Full Of Joy (9/2) took a Class 3 Handicap Chase over 3m at Bangor on September 13th last.

Ridden by champion jockey Tony McCoy, this eight year son of King's Theatre was recording his fourth win in all. Travelling and jumping well, he won by five lengths in total from race favourite Ballybough Gorta (2/1f) and looks a likely contender for a follow up, if not too harshly treated by the handicapper.

Jonjo O'Neill, winning trainer went onto say, "He has a tendency to jump left but he has done the job nicely. He's a good old summer horse."

This was O'Neill's 60th winner of the current campaign and there is no yard in better form than Jackdaws at this moment in time.

On a sadder note, old stable stalwart and Grand National regular Clan Royal passed away this week at JP McManus's Martinstown Stud, he was 18 years of age. Placed second and third in the National, he is best remembered for the misfortune that befell him when leading the field at Becher's Brook the second time around in 2005, only for a loose horse to take him out of the race.

Frank Berry, McManus's racing manager, went onto say, "Clan Royal was a good old servant who performed well at Aintree on a number of occasions. The place seemed to switch him on and he was probably unlucky not to have won a National. Unfortunately, old age caught up with him recently and he died at Martinstown."

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