Mataariki makes all to land Gowran Park spoils
Sent off the 3-1 joint-favourite, the Cracksman filly dictated the pace under Dylan Browne McMonagle, poached a clear lead early in the straight, and kept on well to beat Marakesh by a length and a half.
'A couple of her runs last year have worked out well and she's learning the whole time,' stated O'Brien. 'We've experimented with different trips, but Dylan feels seven is a good trip for her.
'She enjoys juice in the ground and this race has been good for us (O'Brien has won four of the last five renewals). These super competitive fillies handicaps are very important. We'll try to find another one for her and we'll try for some black type again at some stage.'
It was Donnacha O'Brien's turn to taste success in the one-mile fillies' maiden as Gavin Ryan partnered 3-1 favourite Dahlia Noir to a narrow victory over Lady Lilac.
'She was rated to win a maiden, so it's great to get the job done,' commented the trainer. 'She has loads of ability but keeps a bit for herself — Gavin said she idled when she hit the front. She should be better in a better race. And we'll try to find a handicap that suits her.'
Irish 1,000 Guineas entry Varshini, ridden for Fozzy Stack by Seamus Heffernan, ran out a convincing winner of the seven-furlong Gowran Park Golf Club Maiden, beating the consistent Kilmood Susan.
'She had a good run last year, but had a few niggly hold-ups,' explained Stack. 'She probably needs a dig in the ground and I hope she comes forward from today. She's in the Irish Guineas, but that'll come a bit quick. We'll try to find a nice stakes race for her somewhere.'
Successful on his seasonal debut at Naas for Mick Mulvany, Dance For Chester followed up on his first start for Stephen Thorne when justifying 11-10 favouritism in the Dining Packages At Gowran Park 3-Y-0 Handicap, providing Jack Kearney with another success at the County Kilkenny track.
The Ribchester gelding travelled strongly into the lead before holding off the Mulvany-trained longshot James The Second by three-quarters of a length.
Mulvany enjoyed a tonic in the following Thomastown Handicap when Dinamine opened his account, at the 35th attempt, earning the spoils, on the nod, over Serengeti Sunrise.
'I had him as a two-year-old and he was a goodish horse, but he went away and only came back a couple of months ago,' explained Mulvany. 'We found out a bit about him and it's great that he's won for his owner/breeder Seán Finnegan.'
Despite a tardy start, Scott Key (100-30 favourite) bolted up by almost five lengths for the Slatterys in the Irish Injured Jockeys Handicap, his second venture into handicap company.
Winning trainer Andy Slattery said: 'I was hoping he'd do that, to get him into the premier handicap in Naas on Monday (the Blackwater 3-Y-0 Handicap).
'He was very big as a two-year-old and green the last day in Cork, but he improved a lot. If he's okay, he'll go to Naas, with a 7lb mandatory penalty.'
And Shane Foley gave Yvonne Latta's Spring Evening a well-judged front-running ride to win the finale, the @gowranpoark1 Handicap, dictating the pace and, ultimately, holding the late flourish of favourite Elle Dorado Rock by a half-length.
The lightly-raced five-year-old should give the Latta team plenty of fun as a dual-purpose performer.
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