Limerick racing connections enjoy bumper spell on the track

LEADING conditional jockey Jack Foley completed a double at Ballinrobe on Tuesday last when taking the opening division of the two-mile five-furlong handicap hurdle on Michael Hourigan junior’s The Holmeister.

At odds of 10/1 in the colours of owner James Creegan, the eight-year-old battled well to hold off the Philip Rothwell-trained 100/30 favourite Glenmalure Lodge by a head. Foley had won the preceding race on the Rothwell-trained Galon De Vauzelle which is owned by Tom Doran.

The Holmeister landed a second success just 48 hours later when taking the John Thomas McNamara Qualified Riders Handicap Hurdle at Limerick on Thursday. Running under a mandatory 7lbs penalty, he was sent off the 5/1 favourite and made no mistake under Michael O’Sullivan as he won by three-parts of a length from the Louise Lyons-trained Willaston.

The Eoin McCarthy-trained Dark Image gave O’Sullivan his first double on the racecourse when winning the bumper. The four-year-old defied her odds of 20/1 to make a winning debut in the colours of owner Sean Maguire when beating 3/1 chance Elle Klassycco, ridden for Willie Mullins by Jody Townend, by a length and a quarter.

Earlier, Rathkeale jockey Conor McNamara partnered the John Battersby Racing syndicate-owned Downtown Queen to take the mares’ rated novice hurdle. At odds of 5/1, the Henry de Bromhead-trained five-year-old made almost all the running to beat Gordon Elliott’s Daisy Dufresne by two and a half lengths.

Ballingarry jockey Billy Lee went to Leopardstown on Thursday evening for just one ride and he made it a winning one. He brought the Willie McCreery-trained Helpmeout, owned and bred by Redpender Stud, from well off the pace to take the eight-furlong handicap for three-year-olds. The 7/1 chance led well inside the final furlong to beat Dermot Weld’s Westernesse by a neck.

While his championship rival Colin Keane was dominating at Down Royal with four winners, Billy Lee recorded two of his own at Cork on Friday evening. His double brought him to the 58-winner mark for the season, bettering his previous best of 57 winners achieved in 2019.

Both horses scored with very little to spare with the Ross O'Sullivan’s 100/30 chance Chrismoltisanti taking the six-furlong maiden with a last-gasp success over the Jessica Harrington-trained front-runner Lopes Gold in the colours of owner Stuart Robinson.

A nose was the winning distance for that success and a short-head was the verdict as he partnered the Paddy Twomey-trained Erosandpsyche, the 5/2 favourite, to land the five-furlong handicap at the main expense of Ken Condon’s Harmony Rose.

Moyross jockey Wesley Joyce rounded off the week on a high with a winner at both Down Royal on Friday evening and at Gowran Park the following afternoon. He teamed up with Naas-based Tom Dowling to land the concluding 13-furlong handicap at the northern venue on 25/1 chance Starlight Rose.

Owned by the Euphoria Syndicate, the three-year-old came from the back of the field to score by a neck from the Andy Oliver-trained 5/2 favourite Regally Blonde. He then turned the tables on Dowling to take the opening division of the apprentice handicap at Gowran Park on the Michael Butler-trained Zaur.

The well-supported 6/1 chance headed Dowling’s front-runner Mullacash Buzz close to the finish to score by half a length.

Upcoming Fixtures:

Galway – Monday, July 25 (First Race 5.10pm)

Galway – Tuesday, July 26 (First Race 5.10pm)

Galway – Wednesday, July 27 (First Race 5.10pm)

Galway – Thursday, July 28 (First Race 2.10pm)

Galway – Friday, July 29 (First Race 5pm)

Galway – Saturday, July 30 (First Race 2pm)

Galway – Sunday, July 31 (First Race 2pm)