John Oxx sent out a double to add to his two winners at Cork as Carallia and Blatant both sauntered home on a glorious afternoon at Naas. Seventeen year-old Jamie Moriarty, who weighs just over six stone, was partnering his second winner aboard Carallia in the 6f apprentice maiden.
The Common Grounds filly, who drifted from 2/1 to 11/4 in the ring, trounced her rivals by six lengths and could step up to Listed company for her next start according to her trainer. 'She's had a few little setbacks, and has to wear a Monty Roberts blanket entering the stalls, but hopefully she will go on from here,' added Oxx.
Blatant was sent off a red-hot 1/2 favourite for the 1m maiden, and duly atoned for last week's costly failure at Galway in effortless fashion. Johnny Murtagh elected to make all on the Machiavellian colt, and the pair had 3 1/2 lengths to spare over promising stable-companion Mirific at the line.
'It's been a good day all round, said Oxx afterwards. 'This horse did well at Galway, which is a difficult place to win first time out, and appreciated the better ground here. We will see what the handicapper does now, but he could go for a 'winners of one'' at Tipperary next.
Murtagh quickly followed up himself in the 1m handicap, where the well-supported Desert Hill landed the spoils with plenty in hand. The victory went down well with two shrewd jackpot punters, who each scooped a dividend of E6547.80 Earlier, Croi Bhriste stayed on well from the last to break the hearts of the majority of investors in the 2m handicap hurdle, a first winner for Mark Grant since he turned professional.
Well-bred mare Be My Libby had sprung a similar surprise when clinging on grimly to take the 2m3f maiden hurdle, which formed the opening leg. 'She had good form in bumpers last year before damaging a joint, and the first-time blinkers today have obviously worked,' said trainer Eamon 'Dusty' Sheehy.
Aidan O'Brien saddled the 1-2 in the 7f 2yo maiden, but not in the order that was widely anticipated, with Macedonian King and Paul Scallan outpointing Mick Kinane's mount Powerscourt by the minimum margin. Szabo was just a length behind the principals in third and should be up to winning a similar contest.
Live Our Dreams (4/1-5/2-3/1f) continued the good recent form of Niall 'Boots' Madden and his son Niall jnr when getting the better of a prolonged duel with Morgallion Star in the bumper.
Filed by Brendan Cole
