Fast and furious racing at Summer Festival

FOUR races over the minimum trip ensured racing at Down Royal’s Summer Festival of Racing on Friday evening was fast and furious.

The Paddy Twomey trained ‘Treasure Trove’, partnered by Chris Hayes, easily foiled the gamble (50s to 10/1) on runner up ‘Thunderbear’ in the opener and the manner of success of the winner would upgrade the result.

Hayes said: “A very nice filly. The ground is riding a bit on the slow side and I’d say she probably would have been more impressive if it was a sounder surface. Job done and good to get a winner for Paddy, he’s a stable in form and any day he asks you to ride one is a good day. I’d say she probably is a Stakes filly.”

The sprint handicap produced a surprise when the Kieran Cotter trained ‘Tiny Bit’ (20s to 16/1) with Declan McDonagh in the saddle, having dwelt at the start and detached for most of the race, came from last to first to score going away in the final furlong. The ex Roger Varian trained ‘Super Cub’ stayed on the rail to fill second and should get his turn before long.

Cotter said: “There was a good ease in the ground at Tipperary as well and she was ridden similarly from off the pace. She found plenty late on that day too.”

Mikey Sheehy’s plan on the Edward Lynan trained ‘Collective Power’ worked perfectly in the apprentice riders sprint. The rider said: “I was adamant I wanted to be middle of the track.”

Rain had altered the going from good/firm to yielding, while Chris Hayes noted on the rail it was soft. The winner, despite drifting from 7/4 to 3/1, tracked the leaders wide until challenging at the turn into the straight and, despite a slight slip, soon asserted while trainer, Johnny Levins supplied both the second and third placed horses.

Lynam said: “He (Sheehy) did (ride him with confidence), he’s a good rider. I told him he travels well, sit with him as long as you can and come with one run.”

Trainer, Joseph O’Brien supplied the first two home in the two-year-old maiden, when ‘Goa Gajah’ (6s to 85/40 favourite), having been first reserve, got to run and beat stable companion ‘Lakota Seven’ – the winner another to make all while racing wide and giving Mikey Sheehy a double on the night. ‘Mobilise’ drifted to twice morning odds, however, having got upset in the stalls was never a factor finishing with one behind.

The James McAuley trained ‘Sister Rosetta’, the 25/1 outsider of the seven runners with first-time cheek pieces, gave a game front running display to claim the richest race of the night, the Fillies Handicap, with Gary Carroll aboard. The winner asserted in the closing stages beating favourite ‘Curraheen Princess’, which had every chance.

Carroll said: “I rode her when she was rated 94 and she was off 66 there. He (James McAuley) said she got a bit of a wind job and was treated for ulcers after her last run. She skated along and went right to the line. It was a bit nicer out there (wide) – it rained on watered ground.”

McAuley completed a double when ‘Alice Milligan’ (25s to 11/1), partnered by Liam McAteer, landed the concluding contest with runners spread across the course.

The Ger O’Leary trained ‘Chesterton’ (13/2 to 9/2), with Jake Cohen aboard, yet again was another on the night to make all utilising the middle of the track denying favourite ‘Are We Dreaming’, while the penny only dropped late with the third placed ‘Texas Sun’ and the field well strung out at the line.

Assistant trainer Adrian Joyce said: “We didn’t actually have the plan to make the running, but he (Jake Coen) used his own head and went on, and he battled away well.”

It was notable that the stallion ‘Slade Power’ sired both ‘Collective Power’ and ‘Chesterton’, while also responsible for ‘Perfect Power’, winner of the Gr 1 £500,000 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, with trainers Paddy Twomey and Joseph O’Brien also having winners at Limerick on Friday night.