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Irish Examiner
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
O'Brien back in winner's enclosure as impressive Spanish Temptress gets career off the mark
Ballingarry trainer Richard O'Brien earned a welcome return to the winner's enclosure when the promising Spanish Temptress got off the mark for her career with victory in the Irish Examiner Handicap, the third race on Tuesday night's card in Killarney. The lightly raced three-year-old sat in a great position as the leaders went off very quickly, and when Colin Keane asked her to make her move, the grey's response was impressive. 'The worry I had was that, she didn't look, on Saturday (when runner-up at Limerick), that she needed more of a test, and I thought this was going to be more of a test, so I was a bit dubious,' admitted O'Brien. 'I actually said to the boys this morning that I didn't think we should run on that ground, that she was well enough handicapped that we didn't have to be so opportunistic, but they said, 'no, forget about it, we're running'. 'The owners are a fantastic bunch of guys. They went to the sales with Ross Doyle and picked this filly out. They're like a focus group that HRI should look at. They are absolutely die-hard racing fans: they go to the sales; they go to Chester, Galway, Guineas, Derby; they go on the Stallion Trail. 'It's fantastic to have a winner for them. They are the backbone of what we should be focusing on. They'll be high about this for weeks, and she's a candidate to go to Galway.' The evergreen Lord Erskine is clearly still enjoying the racing life as much as ever and, testament to the training of Harry Rogers, he won for the thirteenth time when taking the Executive Helicopters Handicap under a shrewd ride by Ronan Whelan. 'He's a dream,' said Rogers. 'He just eats, sleeps, and does his work. 'We had a plan going out that, if they didn't go much of a pace, to go on down the back, and Ronan did. He's a right horse on his day. He's a gent – there's no badness in him. He's just a dream horse. He was like his (late) owner, Jerry Nolan.' Looking ahead, he added: 'He might go to Galway. He might end up in the amateur race, but he has a few choices. He's in the Galway Hurdle too, if we get slow ground.' The evening's most valuable race was the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies' Handicap and Elana Osario showed a willing attitude to come out best in a three-way finish. Ridden by Colin Keane for trainer Paddy Twomey and owner Robert Moran, the top weight was never far off the pace, which was quite sedate, and while she looked in trouble for half of the straight, she put her best foot forward where it mattered most to claim victory at the expense of Annie's Angel and Shaool. Donnacha O'Brien, who was on the mark here on Monday, added a second when Shania justified odds-on favouritism in the opener, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies' Maiden. Off the track since being touched off in a maiden at this meeting in 2024, the imposing filly was made to work hard for this victory, but the winning trainer felt the lack of a recent run was the greatest contributory factor in that. 'She ran here last year on very quick ground and didn't come out of it very well, and it has taken us a while to get her back,' said O'Brien. 'It's nice, safe ground here today and it looked like a good opportunity, and it was nice to get her head in front. 'She quickened past the leader and got a bit lonely in front, and in the last half-furlong she probably got a bit tired as she's been off the track for a year. It probably wasn't a strong race but I'd say a touch of class got her through, rather than fitness.' The second race, the Ross Castle Maiden, was also confined to four-year-olds and older, and even though there were just six runners, it had a fascinating market and produced a pulsating finish. In a last-gasp lunge for the line, the Gillian Scott-trained and Seamie Heffernan-ridden Red Hugh O'Donnell shaded the verdict from Ocean Manifest. It was only a matter of time before the cards fell right for Zipster, and his first success in Ireland came in the Killarney Plaza Hotel & Spa Handicap. Trained by Ger O'Leary and given a well-judged ride by 7lb claimer Darragh O'Sullivan, he picked up well from off the strong pace to run down the leaders close home. Andy Slattery's team continues in superb form and after a couple of second-place finishes earlier on the card, he put a winner on the board when Royal Hollow, confidently ridden by Adam Ryan, took the Tote Qualified Riders' Maiden in grand style.
North Wales Chronicle
04-07-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Jesse Evans digs deep for Grimes glory
Noel Meade's talented dual-purpose performer was unable to get involved when contesting the Copper Horse Stakes at Royal Ascot a fortnight ago but having previously impressed over hurdles at Ballinrobe, the nine-year-old was among the market principals for this Grade Three contest at 7-2. With 5-2 favourite Gaucher faltering on the run to the final flight, it was Barry Connell's veteran Enniskerry who looked most likely to emerge victorious after taking over the lead, but Jesse Evans dug deep on the run-in for Donagh Meyler and passed the post a half-length to the good. 'He's been great and has brought the owners all over the place and was in Ascot not so long ago. He's a yard favourite,' said Meyler. 'He's ground it out and is as tough as nails. He had a nice weight on the ratings and had match fitness on his side which definitely paid off there. 'He's toughed it out the whole way up the straight. I'm not sure what plans are but he's won a Graded race today and we'll celebrate that.' Meade was at Bellewstown, from where he told Racing TV: 'I'm absolutely thrilled – he's a little diamond. He's not very big, but he wears his heart on his sleeve and he rarely runs a bad race. 'Jumping helps him as he's a very slick jumper and he's a marvellous horse. He's won a lot of money – Flat, fences and hurdles.' On future plans, he added: 'I don't think he'd get home in the Galway Plate. We'll probably enter him in case the ground came up really good, but any time we've run him over further than two miles, it didn't work. 'I'd say it's unlikely we'll run him in the Plate and I don't think we'll run him in the Galway Hurdle again either. He's run well in it before, but he's at the top of the handicap and it would be very hard for him. 'If he went to Galway there's a chase there he might run in instead, but we'll see.'
Irish Examiner
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Jesse Evans digs deep to claim 10th career victory
The classy, consistent, and versatile Jesse Evans continues to be a tremendous horse for connections, and when he summoned all of his experience to prevail, narrowly, in the Kevin McManus Bookmaker Grimes Hurdle on ladies' day at Tipperary, it was a 10th career victory for the nine-year-old. Three times a winner on the level, once in a bumper, once over fences, and now five times over timber, he was coming here off the back of a trip to Ascot. Though out of luck there, the travelling certainly left no mark as the Noel Meade-trained and Donagh Meyler-ridden 7-2 chance was required to dig incredibly deep to collar similarly versatile veteran Enniskerry in the shadow of the post. 'He's a mighty horse,' said Meyler. 'He's a yard favourite, and he really toughed it out there. He had a nice weight on the ratings and had match fitness on his side, which definitely paid off. 'He's been great for connections, the Singletons. He has brought them all over the place, and was in Ascot last time out. 'I'm not sure what plans are — he might rock up in Galway — but he's won a Graded race today and we'll celebrate that. 'It's great to be connected with Noel, getting loads of rides off him, with plenty of opportunities, so long may it last.' Jesse Evans has been placed in the Galway Hurdle on three occasions and could go for another tilt, but the Galway Plate is also an option, and it is a race Meyler has won twice, most recently in 2024, aboard Pinkerton, for the Meade stable. Darragh O'Keeffe and Henry de Bromhead enjoyed a double on the undercard, starting with Red Glory home in the Donovan Transport Handicap Hurdle. In victory, the 11-1 chance ensured bumper and three-time chase winner The Banger Doyle, frustratingly, remains a maiden over hurdles, despite a favourable handicap mark. There was plenty of each-way support for Adaliz prior to the Cappawhite CE Handicap Hurdle, and the 7-1 chance completed the 95-1 double in good style. There was plenty of support for Strong Link prior to the O'Driscoll's Irish Whiskey Maiden Hurdle, and he duly obliged under the coolest, most patient of rides by Keith Donoghue. 'He's that kind of ride — he got the same type of ride by John Gleeson when winning his bumper,' said winning trainer Ross O'Sullivan. 'He's a classy horse, but he gets a bit lairy when he gets there too soon. We learned that in earlier bumpers when he pulled himself up in front. 'Keith was impressed with him today. He just needs to tidy up his jumping, but he won with plenty in hand. We bought him off Jamie Codd, who recommended him. He'll go novice hurdling now, and the plan would be the two-and-a-half-mile novice on the Thursday of Galway, if everything goes well.' The card opened with the first three-year-old hurdle of the season and Minella Study landed a nice touch when winning under Daniel King. Backed from an overnight high of 10-1 to a return of 9-4, the John Nallen-owned and -trained gelding, who was a four-runner maiden on the flat, was prominent throughout, jumped well, and showed a good attitude to deny the promising Felicity Smoak. Sam Curling and Philip Enright, who teamed up for a winner and a runner on the all-chase card here on Tuesday, earned another trip to the winner's enclosure after Queenofthelodge erased the memory of her last-time-out fall with a game victory in the Easyfix Handicap Hurdle. Andy Slattery has his team in superb form and well-backed newcomer Ebony King added another to the yard's tally when taking the Tipperary Bumper under a positive ride by Adam Ryan. Victory completed an across-the-cards double for Slattery, after Exceeding's earlier success in Bellewstown. 'They're flying, and hopefully they'll keep that way,' said Slattery of his team. 'In fairness, they have been that way the last couple of years.' Of the night's winner, he added: 'Adam had a lot of confidence in the horse. He's still on the weak side and we had him under-trained, if anything, and he was still very green. He was idling in front, but he has the makings of a nice horse. Tom Meagher bred him, and his wife, her sister, and another lady own him. 'I had him in last year but I left him off because he was very weak. He jumps very well and his work has been good since I brought him back this year, but I still think there's a lot to come. I don't know where he'll go, but if he comes out of the race well, we might go for a winners' bumper.'
South Wales Argus
03-07-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Jesse Evans digs deep for Grimes glory
Noel Meade's talented dual-purpose performer was unable to get involved when contesting the Copper Horse Stakes at Royal Ascot a fortnight ago but having previously impressed over hurdles at Ballinrobe, the nine-year-old was among the market principals for this Grade Three contest at 7-2. With 5-2 favourite Gaucher faltering on the run to the final flight, it was Barry Connell's veteran Enniskerry who looked most likely to emerge victorious after taking over the lead, but Jesse Evans dug deep on the run-in for Donagh Meyler and passed the post a half-length to the good. 'He's been great and has brought the owners all over the place and was in Ascot not so long ago. He's a yard favourite,' said Meyler. 'He's ground it out and is as tough as nails. He had a nice weight on the ratings and had match fitness on his side which definitely paid off there. 'He's toughed it out the whole way up the straight. I'm not sure what plans are but he's won a Graded race today and we'll celebrate that.' Meade was at Bellewstown, from where he told Racing TV: 'I'm absolutely thrilled – he's a little diamond. He's not very big, but he wears his heart on his sleeve and he rarely runs a bad race. 'Jumping helps him as he's a very slick jumper and he's a marvellous horse. He's won a lot of money – Flat, fences and hurdles.' On future plans, he added: 'I don't think he'd get home in the Galway Plate. We'll probably enter him in case the ground came up really good, but any time we've run him over further than two miles, it didn't work. 'I'd say it's unlikely we'll run him in the Plate and I don't think we'll run him in the Galway Hurdle again either. He's run well in it before, but he's at the top of the handicap and it would be very hard for him. 'If he went to Galway there's a chase there he might run in instead, but we'll see.'
Leader Live
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
Jesse Evans digs deep for Grimes glory
Noel Meade's talented dual-purpose performer was unable to get involved when contesting the Copper Horse Stakes at Royal Ascot a fortnight ago but having previously impressed over hurdles at Ballinrobe, the nine-year-old was among the market principals for this Grade Three contest at 7-2. With 5-2 favourite Gaucher faltering on the run to the final flight, it was Barry Connell's veteran Enniskerry who looked most likely to emerge victorious after taking over the lead, but Jesse Evans dug deep on the run-in for Donagh Meyler and passed the post a half-length to the good. 'He's been great and has brought the owners all over the place and was in Ascot not so long ago. He's a yard favourite,' said Meyler. 'He's ground it out and is as tough as nails. He had a nice weight on the ratings and had match fitness on his side which definitely paid off there. 'He's toughed it out the whole way up the straight. I'm not sure what plans are but he's won a Graded race today and we'll celebrate that.' Meade was at Bellewstown, from where he told Racing TV: 'I'm absolutely thrilled – he's a little diamond. He's not very big, but he wears his heart on his sleeve and he rarely runs a bad race. 'Jumping helps him as he's a very slick jumper and he's a marvellous horse. He's won a lot of money – Flat, fences and hurdles.' On future plans, he added: 'I don't think he'd get home in the Galway Plate. We'll probably enter him in case the ground came up really good, but any time we've run him over further than two miles, it didn't work. 'I'd say it's unlikely we'll run him in the Plate and I don't think we'll run him in the Galway Hurdle again either. He's run well in it before, but he's at the top of the handicap and it would be very hard for him. 'If he went to Galway there's a chase there he might run in instead, but we'll see.'
