It was easy for Mean Fomhair at Roscommon under Colin Keane© Photo Healy Racing
A sister to 2016 Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine, Jet Setting, Mean Fomhair impressed in the Athleague Handicap at Roscommon.
The four-year-old was entering handicap company for the first time here, and she’d finished tenth in a Galway festival maiden on her previous start.
That Ballybrit effort came behind a Ballydoyle winner, Lancaster House, and it was Mean Fomhair’s reappearance off a 636 day break.
She was an appropriately named winner on this occasion, given that Mean Fomhair means September in Irish.
This race went off five minutes late as All The Mollies (9/1) had to be withdrawn after getting upset in the stalls.
Her absence saw a Rule 4 of 10 Cent come into play on board prices, but that’ll have mattered little to connections of the easy four and a half length victor.
She was supported from 10/1 into 6/1.
Her entry at Gowran on Wednesday was an insurance policy in case Roscommon had fallen to yesterday’s inspection.
Colin Keane rode Mean Fomhair for his father Gerry who now has Listowel in mind for his daughter of Fast Company.
“She was always a nice filly but had a lot of niggles. We thought a lot of her as a two-year-old but didn’t get to run her at all last year. Every time you went to run her she was lame," said Keane senior.
“Hopefully she will go on and she’s a full sister to a Guineas winner in Jet Setting. We might be aiming a bit high thinking about black type but we’ll probably have to try somewhere along the way.
“The owners lost her dam earlier in the year so at least they can keep her as a broodmare. It’s great to get her head in front, and Frankie (Duffy) is a neighbour of mine.
“Most of the Fast Company’s want it soft, and it was that ground that made Jet Setting a Guineas winner.
“She’d a nice run in Galway and just blew up for the want of a run, and that left her spot on.”
The Stewards interviewed Mrs D.A.Love, trainer of All The Mollies, concerning the conduct of this horse who became fractious in the starting stalls and was withdrawn by order of the Stewards when breaking loose. Mrs D.A. Love explained the past difficulties that had been encountered with this animal both at home and on the racecourse. Having considered the explanation and noting that "All The Mollies" had a previous suspension for similar unruly behaviour, the Stewards suspended "All The Mollies" under Rule 14(iii) for 90 days from any future races being started from stalls
A.J. Slattery, rider of All About Maddy (GB) trained by Paul W. Flynn, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount hung right throughout this race.
(AM & EM)
