Today was the first day two meetings were scheduled in Ireland since the resumption of racing last Monday. The afternoon’s action was at Fairyhouse, with the evening meeting going ahead at Roscommon. Incredibly the 15 races today were won by 14 trainers and 13 jockeys.
Fairyhouse
Johnny Murtagh and Gary Halpin won the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden for three-year-old colts and geldings with Koolasice (13/8f) as the son of Kodiac had seven and a half lengths to spare over Ecclesiastical. The trainer went on to complete a double when Pearl Warrior (10/1) took the Ratoath Handicap with Shane Kelly in the plate.
Trainer Tom McCourt had his third win since the resumption of racing courtesy of De Mazarro in the first division of the Meath Handicap under Niall McCullagh. Top National Hunt jockey Rachael Blackmore claimed the second division of the race on Oromo (28/1) for Karl Thornton.
Joseph O’Brien and Declan McDonogh teamed up for the opening Irish EBF Median Sires Maiden with State Of Rest (6/1), while Colin Keane’s hot spell continued as he rode a winner for Noel Meade in Powerful Ted.
Acquiescent (9/2) was a winner for John Murphy and Killian Leonard in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Fillies) Maiden over 6 furlongs, while Mogwli (4/1) came home in front for Willie McCreery and Nathan Crosse in the Fairyhouse Handicap.
Roscommon
The Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas-winning trainer Ger Lyons was on the score sheet again as Indicative Vote (4/1) made every yard a winning one in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction for colts and geldings under jockey Gary Carroll.
Carroll notched up a double when the Gavin Cromwell-trained Tashman (11/1) took the Ivan Connaughton Auctioneers No Sale No Fee Handicap (Division 1). Shane Foley had his 11th winner in eight days when winning the second division of the race, with Ger O’Leary’s Will Be King (14/1) providing him with another visit to the No. 1 spot.
Paddy Twomey, who had a winner at Leopardstown yesterday, had another this evening as odds-on favourite Strongbowe (5/6f), bought at the Craven Breeze-Up Sale in 2018, took the Roscommon Maiden in the hands of Billy Lee, another rider who is enjoying plenty winners at the moment.
Lee claimed at double at the Connacht track when getting handicap debutant Alexei Vronsky (3/1f) up by a nose in the Global Rossie Day On 21st June Handicap for Michael O’Callaghan.
Ronan Whelan delivered the Michael Halford-trained Slieve Bearnagh (8/1) late to edge out Golden Days by a neck in the www.roscommonracecourse.ie Handicap, while Dermot Weld saddled Zenya (7/1) to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden for three-year-old fillies under OisÃn Orr.
