David Marnane and Colm O´Donoghue, successful with Maundy Money here yesterday, struck again with the well-backed Maysa in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Fillies Handicap.
O´Donoghue, narrowly denied the Irish Oaks on Sunday having had a treble at Dundalk the previous afternoon, completed a brace here on Jack Travers in the Download Betfair Mobile Today Handicap. This one was a major gamble, from 11/2 in the morning into 7/4 market leader.
Myles Sunderland trains this son of Lend A Hand for Patrick Mulligan. The Wexford handler said, "I was overdue a win (Be My Magic at Sligo in June 2006 being his last). Jack Travers was unlucky the last day at Cork and he will now go for a 60 to 90 handicap at Galway on the Thursday. My first winner was here four years ago ? Jinx Johnson."
Bookmakers were again running for cover after the concluding lady riders bumper where the Tom Hogan trained King Of The Titans (12 in the morning and 7s into 5s on track) stayed on gamely under strong handling from Pauline Ryan. Hogan was recording his third winner from his last four runners since Sligo on Sunday. The Steward´s took a dim view on Ryan´s use of the stick and suspended her for fourteen days for excessive frequency.
Meanwhile Stephen Hunter stepped in for the ride on the reserve, Jane Austen in the Europe Hotel & Resort Maiden and the pair fought off favourite, Dreamy Gent by two and a half lengths. For Hunter this was a dream start to his association with Aidan O´Brien, with whom he has been employed for six months.
It was a first ride of the year for the twenty-seven-year-old who was previously with Michael Halford. He has had fifteen winners but lost interest in the game on the death of his Grand-Father, Jock Hunter, a good light-weight jockey himself.
Meanwhile Ken Whelan is going to Ardkeen in the morning for x-rays on his left hand with a suspected fracture of a bone following a fall from Wonderkid Paul Carberry, who was stood down for 21 days with severe concussion here yesterday, has been released from Tralee General Hospital while Sean Flanagan has a right shoulder injury and he will need "further orthopedic opinion" according to Turf Club Medical Officer, Dr Walter Halley.
