HRI Fact Book 2008 - Horse Racing Ireland

SEPTEMBER 2008
On Tattersalls Millions Irish
Champion Stakes day at
Leopardstown, it was once
again Bolger and Manning
that stole the spotlight,
winning the two feature races on the card.
New Approach’s task was made all the
easier by the late withdrawal of Duke Of
Marmalade, and he made no mistake in
landing the odds in the feature race. Earlier
on the card, Lush Lashes had ground
out another Group 1 win in the Coolmore
Fusaichi Pegasus Matron Stakes, beating off
the strong challenge of Nahoodh by a neck.
The Irish National Hunt scene was dealt a
blow in the early part of the month when it
was announced that Ireland’s highest rated
chaser, Mossbank, had been injured and
would be out for the season. In more positive
news, Gordon Elliott reported that his Aintree
Grand National winner Silver Birch had
returned from injury and was back in full
training with the Aintree showpiece being
his long-term target for the season.
Back at the Curragh for the St Leger
meeting, it was Aidan O’Brien that resumed
THE GUINNESS KERRY
NATIONAL WAS THE
HIGHLIGHT OF THE MEETING
AND IT WITNESSED A
SECOND CONSECUTIVE
WIN IN THE RACE FOR THE
ERIC MCNAMARA-TRAINED
PONMEOATH, WITH PADDY
FLOOD STEERING THE
EIGHT-YEAR-OLD TO A
THREE LENGTHS SUCCESS
his domination of proceedings, saddling
Septimus to win the Irish Field St Leger
by no less than thirteen lengths under
Seamie Heffernan, completing a Grand
Slam of the Irish Classics for Ballydoyle.
The following day, Johnny Murtagh was
at his strongest to drive Mastercraftsman
home by a short-head to maintain his
unbeaten record in the Bank of Scotland
(Ireland) National Stakes.
Whilst Ballydoyle and Coolmore had been
having a season to remember, there was
some distressing news for the organisation
when star stallion Galileo suffered a bout of
colic which required surgery. He reportedly
came through the procedure well and was
expected to make a full recovery.
The Listowel Harvest Festival looked in
danger of being lost due to the inclement
weather, but with great co-operation from
all parties, HRI decided to transfer all of
the Flat races planned for the Festival
to three hastily arranged meetings at
Dundalk, and the fi ve days of the Listowel
meeting that remained took place without
further disruption. The Guinness Kerry
National was the highlight of the meeting
and it witnessed a second consecutive win
in the race for the Eric McNamara-trained
Ponmeoath, with Paddy Flood steering the
eight-year-old to a three lengths success.
The Goffs Million Raceday at the Curragh
saw a truly remarkable performance from
English trainer Richard Hannon, who
saddled the winner of the colts race and
a 1-2 in the fillies renewal of the feature
race, pocketing just under €2.3m for his
trouble. Elsewhere on the card, the John
Oxx-trained Sea The Stars stamped himself
as a horse to follow for 2009 when winning
the Group 2 Juddmonte Beresford Stakes.
20 FACTBOOK 2008