Timikar continues Oxx revival

John Oxx has suffered a troubled year with a well-documented virus but recent results suggest the Currabeg maestro should enjoy a decent close to the season, and Timikar kept up the good work for the yard in the mile and a half maiden.

The Aga Khan's Dynaformer colt was making a belated seasonal debut here having shown promise on his only previous outing last autumn, and was sent to the front well over a furlong out.

Declan McDonogh’s mount, a 7/1 chance, kept on really well to beat Cape Glory (7/2) by just over three lengths.

Joseph O’Brien was sending out distress signals from a long way out aboard well-backed 7/4 favourite Sardinia but the Galileo newcomer did keep on in the closing stages to take third.

Oxx’s assistant Jimmy O’Neill said, “He’s a big raw horse and had a few minor little things that kept him off the track until now. He wants nice ground but may not get that again and is not one for the all-weather. He will probably go the Goffs Horses in Training Sale.”

McDonogh said, “He’d a good run in a two-year-old maiden at Leopardstown last year that’s worked out well. He’s potentially a nice horse and I could see him improving a lot from that.

“I was in front plenty soon enough but he raced to the line well. I liked his attitude as he had plenty of a chance to get lonely in front.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes