Limerick jockey Chris Hayes celebrates hat-trick of wins

LIMERICK jockey Chris Hayes teamed up with trainer Gavin Cromwell to win the 12-furlong maiden with the long odds-on favourite My Mate Mozzie at Tramore on Tuesday last.

The seven-year-old, a Grade 3 winner over hurdles, was sent off the 2/9 favourite and scored with the minimum of fuss under talented Shanagolden horseman Hayes.

 Hayes landed a far bigger success as he partnered Dermot Weld’s Shamida to win the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Stanerra Stakes at Leopardstown on Thursday last. Owned and bred by His Highness The Aga Khan, the 100/30 chance came from a little off the pace to pip the Roger Varian-trained 11/2 shot Divine Jewel by a head and the winner will step up to Group 2 level next.

Chris Hayes made it three winners for the week as Dermot Weld’s Harbour Wind raced to a seven-length win in the 10-furlong conditions’ race at Navan on Saturday. Owned and bred by Moyglare Stud, the 15/8 favourite made it two wins from three starts as he came home clear of the Joe Murphy-trained 9/2 chance Immutable and a step up in grade is very much on the cards.

Meanwhile, among the winners at Bellewstown previously, Mark McDonagh was back in the number one spot at Roscommon on Monday last where he took the opportunity maiden hurdle on 33/1 chance Hazelhatch Lady.

Trained by James Fahey for her owner/breeder Frank Reynolds, the six-year-old made all the running and held on gamely to beat Conor O'Dwyer’s 3/1 shot Skradin by half a length, adding to her bumper success at Wexford in July of last year. The Andrew Slattery-trained Avakate provided Quin amateur rider Emily Costello with her first winner when scoring an impressive success in the concluding ladies’ bumper.

On just her fourth ride on the racecourse, Costello, a granddaughter of the late Tom Costello and a daughter of former dual Point-to-Point champion Dermot, brought the John O’Neill-owned 17/2 chance from the back of the field to lead passing the two-furlong pole and at the line, the partnership had one and a quarter lengths to spare over the Willie Mullins-trained 8/15 favourite Coole Cherry and Jody Townend.

Upcoming Fixtures:

Killarney – Tuesday, July 18 (First Race 5.15pm)

Killarney – Wednesday, July 19 (First Race 4.45pm)

Killarney – Thursday, July 20 (First Race 5pm)

Leopardstown – Thursday, July 20 (First Race 4.45pm)

Kilbeggan – Friday, July 21 (First Race 5.05pm)

Killarney – Friday, July 21 (First Race 1.55pm)

Curragh – Saturday, July 22 (First Race 1.30pm)

Curragh – Sunday, July 23 (First Race 2pm)