Limerick/Clare Racing News
Ballingarry’s Jennifer Lee saddled her first winner on the racecourse when Well Polly scored a runaway success in the three-mile handicap hurdle at Roscommon on Monday. Owned by Con Donegan, the 18/1 chance led at the second last hurdle under Darragh O’Keeffe and went clear to win by seven and a half-lengths from the Brian Hamilton-trained Miss Us O.
Lee, a sister of leading Flat jockey Billy, said,
“That’s my first winner as a trainer, I had a few point-to-point winners over the years, but that’s my first winner on the track. I’m delighted to get it. If she didn’t do it today, the plan was to go over fences, but we might give her another crack at the same thing again.”
Aine O’Connor landed the bumper on the Anthony McCann-trained Rockstown Girl. Another 18/1 shot, this time in the colours of Avril Barry, the four-year-old came from well off the pace and led at the furlong pole to win by six lengths from the Philip Rothwell-trained Phils Choice, a fifth winner of the season for the recently married amateur rider.
Half an hour after 125/1 success for the Adrian Murray-trained Kodi Noir in the maiden at Fairyhouse on Wednesday evening, Chris Hayes restored a sense of normality when partnering 4/1 joint-favourite Cailin Cliste to land the handicap over the same six-furlong trip. The John O’Donoghue-trained three-year-old led in the dying strides to score by a neck from Edward Lynam’s Jedi Power with fellow market leader Jupiter Express a head away in third place under Billy Lee. Lee rode three second-placed horses in the first three races on the card, was third in the fourth race but ended the session with a winner, his 50th of the season, as he took the second division of the seven-furlong handicap on the John O’Connor-owned Cool Leader. Trained by Hilary McLoughlin, the well-supported 11/4 favourite came home a two-length winner from the Denis Hogan-trained Royal Tribute.
The Billy Lee-ridden Rosscarbery just held on to win the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Stanerra Stakes at Leopardstown on Thursday evening. He had Paddy Twomey’s 15/8 favourite in front a furlong and a half from home and she just did enough to repel the late lunge of the Aidan O’Brien-trained Emily Dickinson by a shorthead. The Robert Moran-owned four-year-old is now the winner of five of her six starts this season and she was back to winning ways after being disqualified from third place in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh last time after her rider, Wayne Lordan, weighed in 5lbs light, a matter that remains under investigation by the IHRB.
Mark McDonagh landed the opening mares’ maiden hurdle at Kilbeggan on Friday evening on the Con O’Keeffe-trained with Kilbarry Chianti. Leading before the final hurdle, the 100/30 chance stayed on well to beat the Gordon Elliott-trained Knocknagappagh, a 28/1 shot, by a neck. At Cork on the same evening, Conor McNamara took the two and a half-mile mares’ handicap hurdle on the Liam O’Brien-trained We’llgowats. The 16/1 chance, in the trainer’s own colours, got the better of the Jimmy Barcoe-trained Frazel Express to win by three-parts of a length.
Billy Lee was back in the winners’ enclosure when giving Adrian Murray his third success of the week as Kodi Red took the median sires maiden at Navan on Saturday. The 5/2 chance made most of the running to win by two and three-parts of a length from the Jessica Harrington-trained Wild Rover, only hours after Murray’s Sargent Lightfoot had won a handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan. Charles Byrnes landed a 1-2 in the 10-furlong handicap with the Gary Halpin-ridden 9/1 chance Boom Boom boom scoring from 10/1 shot Estepona Sun. Only a shorthead separated the pair at the line.
Chris Hayes took the opening six-furlong fillies’ maiden at Fairyhouse on Sunday with the newcomer Coralillo which is trained by Eddie and Patrick Harty. The 17/2 chance headed the front-running Finsceal Go Deo at the furlong pole and had a length to spare over Joseph O’Brien’s Basil Martini at the line.
Mark McDonagh enjoyed his second success of the weekend when teaming up with Ciaran Murphy to deny Gordon Elliott an opening race treble at Sligo on Sunday. Elliott won the opening two races with As Tears Go By and Daisy Dufresne but his Hophornbeam lost out to Murphy’s Innisfree Beauty in the mares’ novice handicap hurdle. The gutsy six-year-old battled to a half-length victory at odds of 10/1 in the third race of the day. The runner-up was having her third start for Elliott having been trained by Murphy last year.
Upcoming Fixtures
Killarney – Monday, July 11 (First Race 5.15pm)
Killarney – Tuesday, July 12 (First Race 5.30pm)
Dundalk – Tuesday, July 12 (First Race 2.20pm)
Downpatrick – Wednesday, July 13 (First Race 3.10pm)
Killarney – Wednesday, July 13 (First Race 5pm)
Killarney – Thursday, July 13 (First Race 5.30pm)
Leopardstown – Thursday, July 14 (First Race 5.15pm)
Kilbeggan – Friday, July 15 (First Race 5.30pm)
Killarney – Friday, July 15 (First Race 2.15pm)
Curragh – Saturday, July 16 (First Race 1.30pm)
Curragh – Sunday, July 17 (First Race 1.35pm)
Tipperary – Sunday, July 17 (First Race 1.50pm)
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