Performance Review
August 2024
It was nice to see two very consistent fillies and their owners rewarded this month through a couple of good maiden successes.
Cancelled set the ball rolling for us in August when getting a deserved turn in a maiden over an extended nine furlongs at Gowran Park. She had been unlucky to finish second on three occasions prior to this for her owner Sabah Alsabah and I thought Nathan Crosse gave her a lovely, positive ride. We’ll look to get some blacktype with her before the end of the season if possible.
Cancelled gets a deserved win in Gowran
In the same race, Coul Dreamer made a good start to his career when keeping going into third. I think it was a case of trainer error when we ran him back within a fortnight at Bellewstown in a mile maiden, finishing fourth.
Our other maiden winner during the month was a clearcut one at Roscommon. Counterculture put the race to bed in good style over seven and a half furlongs for Damien and Joya Burns, and she equally wasn’t winning out of turn under Billy Lee. She’s a grand, big filly and whatever she does this season will only be a bonus heading into next year. I’d like to pick up some blacktype for her early in 2025.
A maiden win for Counterculture in Roscommon
Hopefully we’ll be able to get Edergole's Angel’s head in front in due course after a good step in the right direction when second in a seven-furlong nursery at the Curragh. She’s got a nice pedigree and I thought she was a shade unfortunate to just bump into one with a 10lb claimer on board. I’d like to try her over a mile before the end of the season; she came home well after being a bit on her head over the seven furlongs here.
I’m looking forward to seeing how Party Dress progresses over hurdles after she finished second on her first run over flights at Down Royal. She just seemed to give herself a fright at the first hurdle and that didn’t do her any favours thereafter, but she schools brilliantly well at home and is a filly I think should even be comfortable over fences. J.J. Slevin felt she could appreciate a little more ease in the ground than she got too.
Fairhaven reached the frame in a seven-and-a-half-furlong maiden at Roscommon, finishing third for the Four Cube Ventures Designated Activity. I think she probably got a little bogged down in the heavy ground close home, having looked like finishing second.
Liltia, owned by Clodagh Mitchell, progressed from her first start when third in a maiden over an extended 10 furlongs at Cork. She had gotten behind on her debut at Bellewstown and learned from that experience. We’re looking at going to Navan with her for another maiden next month and here’s hoping she’ll continue to improve with time.
Finally, I was delighted for Renzo Forni that we managed to get some blacktype with Lunigiana in the Listed Qatar Racing And Equestrian Club Irish EBF Juvenile Sprint Stakes at the Curragh. She’s a well-bred Mehmas filly whose maiden form has been working out extremely well. Babouche, who she finished second to on debut at Cork, is now a Group 1 winner of the Phoenix Stakes, and the first, second and fourth from the maiden she finished third in this month have all come out and won next time, including a Group 3 winner.
Fingers crossed she’ll have her turn to get a win on the board before long, and help contribute to our tally of winners as we all get set for the autumn