Victram has proved a great money-spinner for connections this season and recorded his third win on the Flat, to add to the valuable Lartigue Hurdle at last month's Listowel Festival, when landing the featured ten furlong handicap at a poorly attended 'industry day' in Navan yesterday.
Adrian McGuinness' charge struck the front a furlong out under Declan McDonogh, deputising for the sick Padraig Beggy, and kept on strongly to beat Emmas Princess by three and a half lengths. 'We'll give him a bit of a breather, and then aim him at a novice handicap hurdle at the Leopardstown Christmas meeting (December 29). Hopefully he may go for Pierce Hurdle after that, while his half-brother Jacks Estate will carry top-weight in the sprint handicap at the Curragh on Saturday,' said McGuinness.
Lough Gem will bid to win his fourth nursery in less than two months on the final day of the Flat season at Leopardstown (October 31) after his latest success here over a mile. Rory Cleary had the Joanna Morgan-trained juvenile close to the pace throughout, and made the decisive move when quickening clear over a furlong out to beat the staying on Gallardo by three quarters of a length. 'He's an amazing little horse as he's so lazy at home but comes alive at the races. I didn't think he'd handle the ground that well,' said Ms Morgan.
'It's a great time to hit form as the season's about to end!' quipped Charles O'Brien after saddling Baggio to take division one of the sprint handicap. The J P McManus-owned gelding showed a nice turn of foot at the furlong pole under Fran Berry to beat Chiltai by a length and a half, and O'Brien added, 'I was a bit worried about the five furlongs but he traveled well all the way, and will stay in training next year.'
Edgar Byrne belatedly opened his account on the Flat this year when sending out Janadam to land division two in the hands of Pat Smullen. 'I've had a couple of winners over jumps this year but that's the first on the Flat. They have been running well, and about a dozen have been placed on the Flat,' said the Curragh trainer.
Jamie Spencer switched onto the Aidan O'Brien-trained Almighty after stable-companion Down Mexico Way was taken out lame from the mile two-year-old maiden. The Sadler's Wells colt was backed from 7/4 down to 4/5 and, after being challenged in the straight by chief market-rival Maria Luisa, stayed on much the better of the pair inside the final quarter mile to score by three lengths. Spencer and O'Brien later completed a short-priced double when 11/8 favourite Coconut Beach proved a facile winner of the concluding winners race.
Key Mountain got punters off to a good start in the opening two-year-old auction maiden, heading Miss Isabela in the closing stages to score by half a length under Christy Geoghegan. 'He needed all of that trip coming back from seven furlongs, and that's it for him this season,' said trainer Kevin Prendergast.
The mile handicap appeared a wide open affair, and victory went to the Colm O'Donoghue-ridden Hegrid who held off a series of challenges inside the final two furlongs to beat the slightly unlucky-in-running Orpailleur by half a length.
Alan Magee
