Kilkenny's Shane Foley scores on double at The Curragh

Shane Foley might have a promising filly on her hands after the resounding success of the Jessica Harrington-trained Starry Heavens in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden at Curragh Racecourse on Sunday.

Foley booted the Mastercrafstman filly to the front and that was critical according to Harrington, Starry Heavens relishing the freedom and galloping all the way to the line in the mile contest to prevail by four and a quarter lengths.

Joseph O’Brien’s Basil Martini displayed plenty of class and grit by holding off allcomers to win the Group 3 Weld Park Stakes under an excellent Declan McDonogh, with a half-length and two necks separating the first four home.

Shane Foley made the most of spare ride for an English-trained challenger when delivering 16/1 shot Galeron to land the €617,000 spoils in the Goffs Million at Curragh Racecourse on Saturday.

The Charlie Hills-trained juvenile found plenty for pressure and stayed on best to score by a half-length.
Nice turn

Joseph O’Brien saddled a treble at Listowel on Thursday. Lark In The Mornin displayed a nice turn of foot in testing conditions, recording a neck success under a confident Shane Crosse in the Buckley Agri Irish EBF Median Auction Maiden.

Wayne Lordan booted home Flying Scotsman in the Listowel Printing Works Handicap to deliver a fourth feature event of the festival to Carriganóg Racing while it was Declan McDonogh who brought up the treble for his boss, White Caviar pulling away for a two-and-a-quarter-length victory in the Behans Horseshoe Bar, Restaurant Maiden.

The O’Brien-Slevin tandem were at it again on Wednesday, bagging yet another feature as Busselton won a dramatic Guinness Kerry National.

Once again, Slevin opted to make the running and his five-year-old partner belied his inexperience by jumping like a stag.

The result was in doubt at the last though, as favourite and Galway Plate victor, Hewick, from the Shark Hanlon yard moved alongside at the last but just knuckled on landing having brushed the top, leaving Busselton to score by two and three-quarter lengths.

Willie Mullins registered another double, Paul Townend steering No Risk No Fun to a 10-length triumph in the McSweeney Brothers Maiden Hurdle and Patrick Mullins having to work much harder to keep All The Others in touch with the pacesetters before staying on strongly to bag the Listowel Vintners Association INH Flat Race.

Joseph O’Brien’s Neptune Rock came out on top in thrilling finish to the Listed Edmund & Josie Whelan Memorial Listowel Stakes at Listowel on Tuesday, winning by a half-length thanks to a consummate piece of navigation by Shane Crosse, with two noses separating second from third and third from fourth.

Pat Fahy teamed up with Rory Cleary to enjoy success in Division 1 of the Rose Hotel Handicap. Cleary excelled on the 25/1 shot, delivering the five-year-old with a sustained run late on to nail Super Cub close home by a short head.

Willie Mullins and Paul Townend began Listowel’s Harvest Festival in stunning form and after recording a four-timer and treble respectively on the Sunday, the pair returned on Monday to notch up a double in the Kingdom.

Carrigmoorna Queen showed plenty of inexperience as one might expect from a hurdling debutant in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle but the 6/5 favourite was always in control.

Adamantly Chosen got his chasing career off to a brilliant start by jumping brilliantly and galloping to an eight-length success in the John F McGuire Beginners’ Chase.

Joseph O’Brien and JJ Slevin would enjoy their week too and Prairie Dancer was an emphatic victor in the Grade B Liam Healy Memorial Lartigue Hurdle.

Slevin opted to let his partner move to the front rather than fight him and the son of Territories appreciated that, never seeing another rival to register a fourth success over hurdles, stretching away once more after the second-last hurdle and landing the spoils by six and a half lengths.