Latest news with #GerLyons-trained
Irish Examiner
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Expect a Red Letter day in Killarney
Day three of Killarney's July festival is also the last of the week's Flat action at the Kerry venue, and the feature race is the listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Cairn Rouge Stakes, which can go the way of the Ger Lyons-trained Red Letter. A high-class sort at two, she made her return to action in the Newmarket 1000 Guineas and ran a fine race to finish seventh, beaten less than three lengths, behind Desert Flower. On the back of that, she was sent off favourite to get back to winning ways in a listed race at Navan but, after being ridden confidently from off the pace, she was unable to get by the sticky Barnavara, who made all and got first run. Clear of the remainder that day, it was a good effort and she can bounce back with victory here before making her way back up the grading ladder. Fiery Lucy has decent claims, but a more appealing each-way alternative is Wannabe Royal. Joseph O'Brien's filly has proven form with cut in the ground and while she has something to find with the main players on their official ratings, the conditions can bring them much closer together. The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, for three-year-olds and older, is a fascinating race, but there was a lot to be taken from the opening effort of Hellorhighwater, and he can land the spoils for Gavin Cromwell and Robert Whearty. Unraced at two, he made his debut last month in Limerick and finished runner-up to the cleverly ridden Valorous Power. Tucked in just a little behind the pace, he emerged as the sole threat to the winner in the straight but showed his inexperience as he hung in towards the rails initially. When the penny dropped, he picked up really nicely and was doing his best work in the shadow of the post. He is a really nice prospect and, with anticipated progress, he should take plenty of beating in this race. Jousting is bound to be popular in the betting, but he will need to see out his race much better than he did on debut if he is to make the step forward to winning a maiden. The consistent Chester Nimitz has some place claims, but it would be noteworthy if money came for Michael O'Callaghan's newcomer, Adieu Spirit, an Invincible Spirit colt who went from being a 28,000 Guineas yearling to a 180,000 two-year-old. Still She Blooms deserves a breakthrough victory and can get it, at the twelfth time of asking, in the Rose Hotel Handicap. Last time out, in a nine-furlong race on soft ground at Leopardstown, she attempted to make all but was unlucky to be run down dep inside the final furlong by Deuteronomy. In similar conditions, well drawn and, ideally, back one furlong, to a mile, Chris Timmons' filly can finally have her day.
Irish Examiner
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Green Impact amongst the favourites for the Glencairn Stakes at Leopardstown
Leopardstown hosts a good card and the listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Glencairn Stakes, which is one of the twin features on the programme, can go the way of Green Impact. While it hasn't been the luckiest of seasons thus far for trainer Jessica Harrington, there have been positive signs in recent weeks, and considering the team was under a cloud when this fellow finished sixth in the Newmarket 2000 Guineas, significant improvement can be expected this time. A Group 2 winner in his short juvenile season, he beat leading Epsom Derby fancy Delacroix that day and there is no reason to believe we've already seen the best of him. In Newmarket, on his return, the pace didn't seem to be strong enough for him, and he found himself towards the head of the field a couple of furlongs from home. He wasn't able to sustain his effort, but he kept going well enough to hold on to sixth place behind Ruling Court. The step up to nine furlongs should be no problem to him, and the recent rain, which has just taken away any potential fast ground scenario, is a positive for him. Sure, it would be better if the Harrington team was saddling winner after winner, but that day is bound to return and he can give the yard a welcome boost. Currawood is a consistent sort at this sort of level and should go well, while the Ger Lyons-trained Bravais defied market weakness when winning on his stable debut and any further improvement would put him firmly in the frame here. Pierre Royal can carry top weight to victory in the BoyleSports Home Of The Early Payout Handicap. Dermot Weld's Kingman colt was no match for the experienced First Wave on his debut but made no mistake on his second start, when leading all the way and winning by a wide margin. Those efforts earned him an opening mark of 88 and that looks manageable for the three-year-old. Out of Rose De Pierre, who won a Curragh Maiden on debut and followed up in a handicap off a mark of 91, he too can climb to a rating in three figures, and this race can help him on his way there. The Listed King George V Cup is a tricky looking contest, but there may be some value in siding with the Fozzy Stack-trained Bay Colony, despite the filly having a nice bit to find on official figures. Last time out, on her first try at today's trip, she shed her maiden status, and there is a strong chance that the form is considerably better than it looked at the time. Better ground won't be a problem and she is just preferred to Arouet and Acapulco Bay. LEOPARDSTOWN 4:20 Minerva 4:50 Love Billy Boy 5:25 Bay Colony 5:55 Green Impact (nap) 6:25 Pierre Royal (nb) 6:55 Zipster 7:30 Pink Socks 8:05 Great Mover Next best 4:20 Little Sure Shot 4:50 Fort Vega 5:25 Arouet 5:55 Bravais 6:25 Ja'marr 6:55 Tachos 7:30 Instant Appeal 8:05 Amplitude
North Wales Chronicle
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Zelaina rockets into Queen Mary picture
Just like last year's hero, Zelaina, a £650,000 breeze-up buy, is owned by Wathnan Racing and she may have propelled herself to the top of their pecking order. Burke, who also won the PricedUp Pushes EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes two years ago with Bright Diamond who went on to finish third in the Queen Mary, had warned prior to the race the even-money favourite had even missed 10 days' work prior to the race. Winning jockey James Doyle said of the two-and-three-quarter-length winner: 'She'd been doing the right things at home but Karl had had to give her an easy time leading into this so we were worried about fitness. 'She's shown at the breeze and at home that she's got an engine and she caught me by surprise out the gates, she must have got a few lengths, got up into that stride and away she went. 'She's quite hot, so we'll do a few little things to iron that out going into Ascot. 'You'd love to get a lead but when they have that much pace it is hard to do that. She had a blow and like Karl said she'd have a little niggle so I'd expect her to come on. 'It will be the Queen Mary I'd guess and I suppose she was a bit more impressive than Leovanni.' Zelaina is now 4-1 joint-favourite for the Queen Mary alongside the Ger Lyons-trained Lady Iman. Burke told Racing TV: 'She's very quick. If it wasn't for the little setback I'd have been very disappointed with anything other than a win. She'll come on for that. 'Leovanni was a different type, a bit more mature. This one isn't bad, she just likes to get on with things. 'If we can get her there in the form I think we can I'll be very happy.' The Leyburn handler had already won the PricedUp Daily Sports Boosts Novice Stakes with another expensive newcomer in Reciprocated, but his 14-1 success was much less expected. Burke said: 'I didn't expect him to win today, I'll be honest, as it looked a very hot race on paper. 'I said to Sheikh Mohammed Obaid (owner) this morning that I thought he'd run well and he's a lovely horse, but I didn't think he was capable of doing that first time. 'There's plenty of improvement in him so the future's good for him I think. 'It was a horrible draw, you hate being on the wing with two-year-olds, but I went through the race with Cliff (Lee) and it worked out well. 'I think he'll be better with a bit more cut in the ground and over seven furlongs as well. 'I don't think he's an Ascot two-year-old, but I'll speak to Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, I think he's more a July Stakes/Goodwood type.'
South Wales Guardian
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
Zelaina rockets into Queen Mary picture
Just like last year's hero, Zelaina, a £650,000 breeze-up buy, is owned by Wathnan Racing and she may have propelled herself to the top of their pecking order. Burke, who also won the PricedUp Pushes EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes two years ago with Bright Diamond who went on to finish third in the Queen Mary, had warned prior to the race the even-money favourite had even missed 10 days' work prior to the race. Winning jockey James Doyle said of the two-and-three-quarter-length winner: 'She'd been doing the right things at home but Karl had had to give her an easy time leading into this so we were worried about fitness. 'She's shown at the breeze and at home that she's got an engine and she caught me by surprise out the gates, she must have got a few lengths, got up into that stride and away she went. 'She's quite hot, so we'll do a few little things to iron that out going into Ascot. 'You'd love to get a lead but when they have that much pace it is hard to do that. She had a blow and like Karl said she'd have a little niggle so I'd expect her to come on. 'It will be the Queen Mary I'd guess and I suppose she was a bit more impressive than Leovanni.' Zelaina is now 4-1 joint-favourite for the Queen Mary alongside the Ger Lyons-trained Lady Iman. Burke told Racing TV: 'She's very quick. If it wasn't for the little setback I'd have been very disappointed with anything other than a win. She'll come on for that. 'Leovanni was a different type, a bit more mature. This one isn't bad, she just likes to get on with things. 'If we can get her there in the form I think we can I'll be very happy.' The Leyburn handler had already won the PricedUp Daily Sports Boosts Novice Stakes with another expensive newcomer in Reciprocated, but his 14-1 success was much less expected. Burke said: 'I didn't expect him to win today, I'll be honest, as it looked a very hot race on paper. 'I said to Sheikh Mohammed Obaid (owner) this morning that I thought he'd run well and he's a lovely horse, but I didn't think he was capable of doing that first time. 'There's plenty of improvement in him so the future's good for him I think. 'It was a horrible draw, you hate being on the wing with two-year-olds, but I went through the race with Cliff (Lee) and it worked out well. 'I think he'll be better with a bit more cut in the ground and over seven furlongs as well. 'I don't think he's an Ascot two-year-old, but I'll speak to Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, I think he's more a July Stakes/Goodwood type.'
Leader Live
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Zelaina rockets into Queen Mary picture
Just like last year's hero, Zelaina, a £650,000 breeze-up buy, is owned by Wathnan Racing and she may have propelled herself to the top of their pecking order. Burke, who also won the PricedUp Pushes EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes two years ago with Bright Diamond who went on to finish third in the Queen Mary, had warned prior to the race the even-money favourite had even missed 10 days' work prior to the race. Winning jockey James Doyle said of the two-and-three-quarter-length winner: 'She'd been doing the right things at home but Karl had had to give her an easy time leading into this so we were worried about fitness. 'She's shown at the breeze and at home that she's got an engine and she caught me by surprise out the gates, she must have got a few lengths, got up into that stride and away she went. 'She's quite hot, so we'll do a few little things to iron that out going into Ascot. 'You'd love to get a lead but when they have that much pace it is hard to do that. She had a blow and like Karl said she'd have a little niggle so I'd expect her to come on. 'It will be the Queen Mary I'd guess and I suppose she was a bit more impressive than Leovanni.' Zelaina is now 4-1 joint-favourite for the Queen Mary alongside the Ger Lyons-trained Lady Iman. Burke told Racing TV: 'She's very quick. If it wasn't for the little setback I'd have been very disappointed with anything other than a win. She'll come on for that. 'Leovanni was a different type, a bit more mature. This one isn't bad, she just likes to get on with things. 'If we can get her there in the form I think we can I'll be very happy.' The Leyburn handler had already won the PricedUp Daily Sports Boosts Novice Stakes with another expensive newcomer in Reciprocated, but his 14-1 success was much less expected. Burke said: 'I didn't expect him to win today, I'll be honest, as it looked a very hot race on paper. 'I said to Sheikh Mohammed Obaid (owner) this morning that I thought he'd run well and he's a lovely horse, but I didn't think he was capable of doing that first time. 'There's plenty of improvement in him so the future's good for him I think. 'It was a horrible draw, you hate being on the wing with two-year-olds, but I went through the race with Cliff (Lee) and it worked out well. 'I think he'll be better with a bit more cut in the ground and over seven furlongs as well. 'I don't think he's an Ascot two-year-old, but I'll speak to Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, I think he's more a July Stakes/Goodwood type.'
