Household charge dodgers will get reminders this week

Date Published: 03-Jul-2012

John McIntyre

HE was touted as a potential Derby horse earlier in the season and though Zanughan didn’t live up to that billing, the John Oxx trained three-year-old still nabbed a decent prize at Ballybrit on Monday.

In maintaining Oxx’s impressive strike record in the Ardilaun Hotel Oyster Stakes – the feature event of the Galway Autumn Festival – Zanughan belied his inexperience and a 113 day lay-off to comfortably take the €50,000 contest under Johnny Murtagh.

Having disappointed in the Derrinstown Derby Trial at Leopardstown last May, the Azamour colt has been sidelined since only to take advantage of the step down to listed company in some style at Galway.

Oxx, winning the event for the eighth time, saw his big race challenger settled at the head of the chasing group as Spin set a lively gallop. Zanughan still had plenty to do around the home turn, but Murtagh’s mount displayed the best finishing kick of all to collar the long-time leader in the straight with last year’s second, Address Unknown, completing the placings.

Monday’s all-flat card opened with the Donnelly’s Of Barna Maiden and Aidan O’Brien’s Requisition made up for a disappointing effort at Tipperary earlier in the month as the 6/1 chance, under Seamie Heffernan, held off the Willie Mullins newcomer, Fatcatinthehat.

The O’Brien yard went on to complete a double with top weight Wrote in the Irish Stallion Farms Farms Nursery – the 6/4 favourite following up his recent success at Cork with some authority from two length runner up Beau Amadeus.

The Pascal Corrigan Handicap, run in memory of John Oxx’s long-time head lad, produced a surprise outcome in a tight finish, 14/1 outsider Royal Intruder just having a head verdict to spare over dead-heaters, Topoadee and the Iggy Madden trained Cairdiuil.

There was a popular local success in the James P. Cunningham Electrical Handicap as Loughrea based Herb Stanley saw his colours carried to victory by heavily supported favourite Indian Landing, which had hacked up on his most recent run at Sligo.

Prmising Tuam jockey Leigh Roche achieved his 16th success of the campaign when Goldplated upset two better fancied rivals, Louisville Lip and Missy O’Gwaun, in the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Handicap, while Ted Walsh had the distinction of landing the finale as Rossvoss (7/1) came from off the pace to collar Smithfield on the line in the Renmore Maiden.

Meanwhile, punters were left counting the cost when all three odds on favourites were turned over – an unusual occurrence – on the opening day of the meeting last Saturday.

Racegoers’ woes began in the Easyfix Rubber Products Novice Hurdle when 1/2 market leader Rebel Fitz and David Russell were unable to withhold the late surge of Earls Quarter, which was initiating a double for the Willie Mullins/Paul Townend trainer/jockey combination.

Last year’s champion National Hunt trainer and jockey went on to complete their Ballybrit brace with 11/10 favourite, the progressive Laganbank, a smooth seven length winner from Serien in the Parkmore Maiden Hurdle.

Ironically, however, the Mullins yard were also responsible for the other two odds on favourite casualties on the card as Scotsirish – again partnered by Townend – paid the price for some sloppy jumping in the conditions chase, while Robin Angervin, backed as if defeat was out of the question, could only manage third in the concluding bumper.

With Scotsirish spoiling his chances by some sloppy jumping in the Colm Quinn BMW Chase, the finish was fought out between Lenabane and 2009 Galway Plate hero, Ballyholland, which underlined his liking for Ballybrit by bouncing back to form with a hard fought half-length success under Andrew McNamara.

Robin Angervin, a disappointing runner up at the summer festival, again didn’t find much off the bridle in the Jamie Kyne Memorial Bumper as late jockey substitute, top Galway amateur Derek O’Connor, pulled off a shock 25/1 win on the front-running Mare Of Milan, running in the colours of Ballinderreen man, Tom Quinn.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.