A Look at Last Week's Irish Racing
 RACING REVIEW
HRI Review
Racing Review
Alfa Beat Continues His Progression At Galway
Alfa Beat has improved out of all recognition since joining Charles Byrnes and completed his four-timer in the feature race on Sunday's card at Galway, the Guinness Handicap Chase. The six-year-old was ridden by Davy Russell and didn't need to be fully extended to record a comfortable 4 1/2lengths success, suggesting that better still will be forthcoming from the son of Environment Friend. The highlight of the remainder of the action was the Cunningham Higgins Mercedes Benz Hurdle and it saw the Noel Meade-trained Silverhand stamp his class on proceedings. Ridden by Paul Carberry, the six-year-old did not have to come out of third gear to record an easy 3 1/2 lengths success.
Misty For Me Steals The Show At The Curragh
The Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes was the main event on Sunday's card at the Curragh and it was the Aidan O'Brien-trained Misty For Me that sprung something of a surprise by emerging the game winner. Ridden by Seamie Heffernan, the daughter of Galileo made all the running and battled on gamely to beat off the challenge of Laughing Lashes by a length. The most valuable of the three Group 3 contests on the card was the Dance Design Stakes and it saw another unexpected winner in the shape of the Joanna Morgan-trained Obama Rule. Ridden by Declan McDonogh, the daughter of Danehill Dancer came with a sweeping late run to head her better-fancied rivals and record a length success. On a day of surprises, the valuable Social Harmony European Breeders Fund Irish Cambridgeshire was won by the 25/1 shot Hujaylea. Trained by Mick Halford and ridden by Conor Hoban, the seven-year-old led just inside the final 1f and forged on to record a 1 1/4lengths success.
Controversy At Galway
There was a controversial aftermath to the Anglo Printers Maiden Hurdle at Galway on Saturday, with the "winner" Magical Memoir being demoted to second behind Days Ahead in the steward's inquiry that followed the race. The stewards concluded that the Mark Bolger-ridden Magical Memoir had improved his position by interfering with the Davy Russell-ridden Days Ahead on the run-in and thus reversed the placings, handing Eoin Doyle's charge the victory. That win initiated a double for Doyle, as 35 minutes later he saddled Dusty Trail to win the O'Leary Insurances Handicap Hurdle by a head under Mikey Butler. The most valuable contest on the card was the Easyfix Rubber Products Novice Hurdle and it was won by the Paul Gilligan-trained One Cool Tornado, with the five-year-old justifying favouritism by three lengths under Andrew Lynch.
O'Brien In Double Form At Wexford
Aidan O'Brien has a remarkable strike-rate at Wexford and he improved it by completing a double on Friday evening's card that included the featured Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Fillies Maiden with Luxurious. Ridden by Joseph O'Brien, the daughter of Galileo led under 2f out and soon had matters under control, eventually prevailing by 3 1/2 lengths. O'Brien's double was completed by the win of Quest For Gold in the ITBA (Southeast) Supporting Wexford Maiden. The son of Sadler's Wells made all the running under Sean Levey and battled gamely to see off the challenge of Alburj by ¾-lengths.
Geraghty Doubles Up At Down Royal
Barry Geraghty was the star performer on Friday evening's card at Down Royal, completing a double that included the featured NIFOR 5th & 6th November Hurdle on the Jim Lambe-trained Golden Grimshaw. The eight-year-old made the best of the poor jumping of Baracas, leading before the penultimate flight and comfortably holding off the renewed challenge of that rival by six lengths. Geraghty completed his double on the Eoin Griffin-trained Norther Bay in the Mission To Seafarers Charity Beginners Chase, with the seven-year-old hitting the front after the third-last fence and showing a game attitude to beat off the challenge of So Determined by a length.
Fourpenny Lane Bows Out In Style At Tipperary
The in-foal Fourpenny Lane made her final racecourse appearance a winning one in the feature event on Thursday evening's card at Tipperary, the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fairy Bridge Stakes. Joanna Morgan's charge was given a no-nonsense ride by Rory Cleary and having led over 1f out, forged ahead to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths. Morgan had already got off the mark earlier in the card, as her Beauthea had dead-heated with the Luke Comer-trained King's Bastion under Gary Carroll in the Tipperary Town Handicap. That shared win completed a treble for Carroll, as he had already won the opening two races on Mick Halford-trained runners, namely the www.tipperaryraces.ie Maiden on Della'Alba and the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden on the impressive Casamento.
Hughes And Loughran Double Up At Bellewstown
Dessie Hughes and Roger Loughran were the team to follow at Bellewstown on Thursday evening, completing a double that included the featured Murphy Environmental Mullaghcurry Cup Handicap Hurdle with Grangeclare Gold. The seven-year-old hit the front after the penultimate flight and forged on to record a 1¼ lengths success. Their respective braces were completed by the comfortable seven lengths win of Talab in the second division of the King Crisps Maiden Hurdle. The Tony Martin and Ruby Walsh combination also doubled up on the card, winning the Angle Printers Hurdle with Pires before Dream Champion won the Tote Trifecta Rollover Handicap Hurdle.
Knight Eagle Stars At Bellewstown
The most valuable contest on Wednesday's card at Bellewstown was the www.thetote.com Handicap and it saw the Kevin Prendergast-trained Knight Eagle run out the authoritative winner. Ridden by Sam James, the three-year-old made steady headway from mid-division to lead 1f out and hold off the challenge of Solo Performer by 1¾ lengths. In terms of individual performances, Fran Berry was the star performer, riding the Niall Madden-trained The Hamptons to win the Lougher Stables Handicap and the Andrew Heffernan-trained Slade to win the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Maiden.
Lil Ella Gets On Top At Sligo
The Supermac's Castlebaldwin Handicap was the main event on Tuesday evening's card at Sligo and it was the Christy Roche-trained Lil Ella that took the spoils in a thrilling finish. Ridden by Fran Berry, the three-year-old was delivered with a well-timed challenge and forged ahead in the closing strides to prevail by a head. The highlight of the remainder of the action was the Steeplechasing Returns September 29th At Sligo Auction Race and it was the Jim Bolger-trained Deorai that emerged on top. Ridden by the ever-green Kevin Manning, the son of Choisir responded gamely to pressure and got the better of Gentleman Duke by ½-length.
Racing News
The Curragh To Honour Kinane
The Curragh Racecourse in association with Horse Racing Ireland announced last week that it will celebrate the magnificent achievements of HRI's 2010 Flat Ambassador Michael Kinane by staging an exhibition of his racing successes during the Autumn Festival of Racing on Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th September. The Michael Kinane exhibition will take place in the Bollinger Champagne Bar at the Curragh racecourse and follows the Vincent O'Brien exhibition which took place over the same weekend last year.
Kinane is the only jockey who can claim wins in almost all the major European Group Ones as well as in the Belmont Stakes, the Breeders' Cup, the Japan Cup, the Hong Kong Cup and the Melbourne Cup, he is an instantly recognisable and universally respected figure. This exhibition will honour Kinane's many successes over three decades with a once in a lifetime opportunity to see a magnificent collection of memorabilia which will highlight his legendary career and highlights aboard Vintage Crop and Sea the Stars. It will include Michael's time with Liam Browne, Michael Kauntze, DK Weld, Aidan O'Brien and John Oxx and his associations with HH Sheik Mohammed and HH Aga Khan.
Shane Foley Injured
In-form apprentice Shane Foley is likely to be out of action for about two months after suffering two fractures in an incident at Bellewstown on Wednesday. The 3lb claimer was injured in a fall from the Frank Ennis-trained French Express before the start of the 5f handicap. The filly was withdrawn and Foley was taken to hospital for x-rays which confirmed that he had fractured his left collarbone and his right ankle.
New May Dates For Punchestown Festivals
On Tuesday Punchestown racecourse announced that the 2011 Irish National Hunt Festival will move from the traditional April dates and will take place from Tuesday 3rd to Saturday 7th May 2011. The revised dates are as a result of Easter falling in late April next year and will mean that the National Hunt season finale will take place six weeks after the Cheltenham Festival and three weeks after Aintree. This is the first time since 2000 that the Punchestown Festival will be held in its entirety during the month of May. It is worth noting that there was a total of 62 UK trained runners that year which is the highest number since 1997.
Upcoming Fixtures
Downpatrick - Monday 30th August (First Race 2:35)
Galway - Monday 30th August (First Race 4:20)
Clonmel - Thursday 2nd September (First Race 4:30)
Kilbeggan - Friday 3rd September (First Race 4:35)
Leopardstown - Saturday 4th September (First Race 1:40)
Dundalk - Sunday 5th September (First Race 2:15)
Roscommon - Monday 6th September (First Race 4:35)
Laytown - Tuesday 7th September (First Race 5:00)
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