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THE talented Agartha ended a 12-month wait for a second pattern race success with an all- the-way success in the Group 3 Coolmore No Nay Never Fairy Bridge Stakes for Joseph O’Brien.
Last year’s Debutante Stakes winner and Moyglare Stud Stakes second had failed to fire on a trip to American last month.
Here the Scott Heider-owned daughter of Caravaggio broke alertly from an outside draw under Declan McDonogh and never relinquished the lead.
For a period in the straight, the Irish 1000 Guineas fifth was threatened by Galleria Borghese who kept her company from the outset but she was soon shaken off.
Her stablemate Night Of Romance then came with a strong challenge but Agartha put her head down in willing fashion to get home by a length, while the recent course and distance maiden winner Spring Feeling ran a splendid race to secure third.
“They felt the style of training in America didn’t suit her and since she came home Pat McCabe, who rides her out, and I thought she was back working really well,” said McDonogh. “This is a good confidence booster and she loves Leopardstown so maybe she’ll go to the Matron next.”
The strength of Aidan O’Brien’s two-year-old division was yet again in evidence as Library bolted up in the Camas Park Stud Irish EBF Fillies Maiden over an extended seven furlongs. This daughter of Galileo was beaten at odds-on in a Leopardstown maiden last time but ran with credit there after forcing a strong pace. Seamie
Heffernan dictated a tempo to suit himself on the evens favourite who had her field at full stretch from the turn-in. Baby Blue Eyes made a nice debut to secure second but she still finished three and a half lengths adrift of the winner.
“She has a little bit of class. A race like the Ingabelle Stakes on Champions Weekend would suit well,” commented O’Brien.
Emporio and Blindsided in Donnacha’s double
IT was a good evening for Donnacha O’Brien as he notched up a double which concluded with Emporio returning from 425 days off the track to land the Meadowview Stables Race in taking fashion.
The useful 98-rated four-year-old, who finished fifth in last year’s Irish 2000 Guineas and holds an entry in the Cambridgeshire later this month, cruised up to join the leaders for Gavin Ryan early in the straight.
Nothing was going better at this stage and the Annmarie O’Brien-owned gelding asserted entering the last furlong before a three-quarter-length triumph over Alessandro Algardi
“He has loads of ability and has had plenty of issues so was one we were happy to wait on. It is great to get him back and he took a good blow in the last furlong,” remarked the trainer.
“We’ll have a look at the Cambridgeshire with him.”
O’Brien was earlier successful when the 72-rated Blindsided dominated the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Claiming Maiden.
A first winner of the season for jockey Paddy Harnett, the 9/4 shot opened up a yawning lead rounding the last bend which put the race to bed.
The Atlantic Thoroughbreds-owned son of No Nay Never, who was wearing blinkers for the first time and was getting back to the form of his second to Ti Sento in a Listowel maiden in June, got to the line just over a length ahead of Fendi who narrowed the deficit appreciably over the course of the last furlong. None of the runners was claimed.
“When he got the easy lead with the blinkers, I would have been surprised if anything got to him,” remarked the trainer. “It is nice to have races like this where you get an opportunity to win and at the same time, are there to be claimed. I think there should be more claimers in this country and ranging in values.”
Spirit carries off the Abergwaun
FOR the first time in six years the Listed Abergwaun Stakes went for export as Tees Spirit and Barry McHugh dug out an ultra-game win in this five-furlong dash.
As a rider Adrian Nicholls won this race three times for his late father, Dandy, with the most recent of those wins coming on Inxile 10 years ago, and here he was successful with a horse who has made relentless progress all season.
After starting his campaign with a rating of 71 Tees Spirit lined up here with a mark of 95 and he set about his task at hand in customary style. The 16/5 shot raced on the pace for McHugh and for most of the last two furlongs the pair looked certain to be picked off with likely challengers positioned all over the track.
Deep inside the final furlong, Erosandpsyche seemed sure to find a way past, but Tees Spirit fought on bravely to score by a nose.
“It was either come here or the Beverley Bullet and when I came over and walked the track, I was delighted with the very quick ground. The owners, Ingleby Bloodstock, bought my dad’s yard so that’s how I got to know them. They have been nothing but supportive,” stated Nicholls. “You wouldn’t get an easier five than either here or Longchamp and he will probably now run in the Prix de l’Abbaye.”
After posting a succession of solid efforts in defeat lately, Jarlath Fahey’s Yokkell notched up a deserved success in the 47-65 rated apprentice handicap over a mile and a furlong.
Jamie Powell was on board this Triona Burbage-owned daughter of Fast Company who took control of this race entering the final furlong and kept on strongly to score by three and a quarter lengths. The 3/1 joint favourite can add to her tally this autumn.
The evening concluded with another winner for John McConnell as Arctic Blaze (16/1) and Siobhan Rutledge sprang a 16/1 surprise from the front in the 47-70 rated mile-and-a-half handicap.
This was a second career success for the John Flynn-owned and -bred mare who has held her form well since scoring at Dundalk in the winter. Arctic Blaze defeated the favourite and Ladies Derby winner Extensio by three-quarters of a length.