Graignamanagh Jockey Shane Foley continued his remarkable week, as himself and Jessica Harrington – For whom Shane is stable jockey – combined to win the final two races in Gowran Park yesterday afternoon as Bella Brazil and Shona Mea both emerged victorious.
It brought his winners tally in the last 72 hours to 8, as he also rode a double in Navan on Wednesday aboard Blastofmagic in the Division 2 of the Navan Handicap, before doubling up on the Mrs Harrington trained Ancient Spirit in the Listed Heritage Stakes as he got up by a nose to deny the Joseph O’Brien trained Buckburst.
Meanwhile on Monday in Naas, the Graignamanagh native made a blistering re-start to Racing after an 11 week hiatus, as he astonishingly rode a 4-timer with three of those winners coming for Mrs Harrington.
The all conquering duo teamed up with Lucky Vega, Masteroffoxhounds and 22/1 shot Punita Arora in the featured Listed Commited Stakes, while he was also unsuccessful for unknown trainer newcomer Leanne Breen as Parkers Hill at 18/1 under joint top-weight won the Division Two of the Clinton Higgins Accountants Handicap.
Elsewhere, in Gowran Park yesterday, Champion Jockey Colin Keane & Ger Lyons combined for a double also as Maker of Kings won the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, before Bucky Larsson defied favoritism to land the Support the Irish Injured Jockey’s Handicap.
The duo have high hopes of victory in this evening’s Irish 2000 Guineas as last years leading Irish two-year-old Siskin will go off favorite, while renowned for his National Hunt exploits, Henry De Bromhead supplied Annexation under of hands of Wayne Lordan to win the Download The Boylesports App Division Two Handicap.
Champion Trainer Aidan O’Brien drew a blank with his only runner in Gowran yesterday, but on Tuesday he recorded a 4-timer by winning the first four races.
Ennistymon got the ball rolling when winning the Fillies Maiden, Tiger Moth made it a double in the Colts & Gelding Maiden, before the outsider of the quintet Cormorant at 12/1 under last years Irish Derby winning jockey Padraig Beggy won the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial to complete the treble, while the 4-timer was accomplished when Love Locket won the Group 3 Leopardstown Fillies Trial Stakes as Seamie Heffernan completed a double having earlier partnered Ennistymon to win the opener.
As mentioned, the first of the Irish Classics takes Centre Stage this evening(6.40pm) as the 2000 Guineas is the feature event in The Curragh with Siskin favorite to give both Colin Keane & Ger Lyons a first Classic victory.
Shane Foley & Jessica Harrington are represented by Free Solo who is hugely over-priced at 20/1 for a combination both in whirlwind form.
Free Solo was very impressive in winning his Maiden in Leopardstown 11 months ago(July 2019), and a replicate of that effort certainly represents terrific each-way value in a Guineas lacking strength in depth.
The duo have high hopes of glory in tomorrow’s(Saturday) Irish 1000 Guineas(7.15pm) as Albigna – Running in the colours of the Niarchos Family who also own Free Solo – looks set to go off a well backed favorite, having had solid two-year-old form from winning a Group 1 in Longchamp on Arc day last October, before finishing 4th in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Gowran Park returns with two further meetings next week on Wednesday 17th June & Friday 19th June, with the feature event next Friday evening, The Victor McCalmont Memorial Listed scheduled to take place at 6.15pm.
However, the Racing World next week will be dominated by one of the great Summer Sporting Highlights, The Royal Ascot Festival which starts on Tuesday running through till the final day on Saturday.
