Trainer Dermot Weld and stable jockey Pat Smullen recorded a double at Gowran Park yesterday with Hard Warrior landing the opening two year old maiden before Floscula completed a good day at the office for the Roswell House team in the fillies' maiden.
Six to four favourite Hard Warrior, a well bred son of Gulch, defeated Aidan O'Brien's Tivoli Fountain by a length and a half in the two year old maiden. Afterwards, Weld described the winner as 'a consistent colt who deserved the win.'
The other Weld winner was another favourite with 7/4 shot Floscula landing the mile and a half maiden in the reliable hands of Pat Smullen. A handicap is next on Floscula's agenda.
Trainer Paul Nolan has found the winning formula for his Dash Of Grey, who made all when completing a double in the McEnery Cup Handicap.
The winner previously made all at a fast pace to win under Darren O'Dwyer at Tramore and lightweight jockey Rory Cleary employed similar tactics here, eventually holding the challenge of Dazzling Dancer by two and a half lengths.
Nolan later stated 'we decided to make the running at Tramore and it worked so I told Rory to go as fast as he could go today. He might be a GPT Handicap horse.'
Another Galway hopeful is Prunella Dobbs' Classic Note who is in line for a hurdle hat-trick bid on her next start, following her win in the Jack Duggan Memorial Handicap Hurdle, under Paddy Flood.
Dobbs later stated 'she is a little gem. She is no bigger than a pony but her heart is in the right place. She is rated only 37 on the Flat so a run 'on the level' is also on the agenda.'
Jim Bolger's Addario overcame a nine month absence to win the mile handicap under Kevin Manning. The daughter of Spectrum eventually got the better of a tight battle with the well backed Sigourney, to win by half a length.
The winning handler later mentioned that 'Addario will be seen in action again at Tipperary on Thursday' while adding that she should 'have little difficulty staying twelve furlongs.'
Jessica Harrington's Star Horse was expected to make a winning debut over hurdles in the Goresbridge Maiden Hurdle but the 8/15 favourite found Sean Treacy's Fieldsofclover too good, with the winner's previous hurdling experience helping him to a two length win.
Sean Treacy was racing at Navan but was represented by his wife Geraldine Treacy, who described the John Cullen partnered winner as 'a sound jumper with plenty of hurdling experience.'
However she added 'we were afraid of Star Horse because our fellow ran no sort of race at Tramore last time although we could find nothing wrong with him.'
JP Magnier kept Liberty Flag going in the concluding bumper to hold the challenge of Asian Maze by two lengths for trainer Pat Flynn.
Thomas Weekes.
