Racing Live - Naas 2nd June 2008
It’s a Bank Holiday over here in Ireland and unlike UK Bank Holidays the weather is behaving and we have a warm sunny day. The crowd here at Naas is good but not overcrowded and, as you would expect for a Bank Holiday meeting, there are plenty of families here.
Turning for home the field was well bunched, apart from Lee Applause who was well tailed off. It was one of the fancied runners Bentesina who set off for home first and the mare looked the likely winner a furlong out. However Ghostmilk under heavy pressure from his rider managed to find a gap on the inside rail and under strong riding managed to get up on the line. Breaker Morant finished third and the favourite White And Red fourth. This may be my first visit to Naas but after the second race I have learnt an important lesson, namely the horse that gets the far rail is going to win the race. After Ghostmilk’s far side run in the first the favourite in the second, My Girl Sophie, clung limpet like to the far rail once in the home straight and never really looked like being headed. Dimenticata launched a challenge two out before seemingly hitting a flat spot before running on again in the final half furlong but the rally was just too late as the favourite held on by a diminishing ½ length. The next race is on the straight course so lets see if the horse drawn on the far rail wins. I must admit feeling some British pride here as there were two UK entries in this feature race of the afternoon and they filled the first two places, although the stewards are holding an enquiry. Tax Free trained by Dandy Nicholls and ridden by son Adrian got the better of the Brain Meehan trained Day By Day, the pair finishing well clear of the remainder. There is no doubt the pair came together inside the final furlong but on first impression it looked to be six of one half a dozen of the other. After the enquiry the result stands. To call the next event a race is probably pushing the definition of the word race. A procession would be a more apposite description. For a six furlong sprint distances of 3½ , 2 , 2½ and 4½ lengths is code for procession. It was a facile victory for the even money favourite Cuis Ghaire (I’m glad I wasn’t commentating) who put in a pillar to post victory, never looking under any threat. For the record minor honours went to Marquessa, who was running on at the end and looks a potential winner over seven, and undaunted affair who would probably prefer five. The second six furlong sprint could not have been a greater contrast to the first. This time there were twenty runners and it really was a race this time. Without the aid of a television replay I cannot give a blow by blow account of the race suffice to say that Blue Law set the early pace, was headed but battled back to grab victory by a head on the line. The one you must feel sorry for is the big white faced favourite Leo’s Lucky Angel who is the one who was nabbed on the line after looking the winner half a furlong out. My brain hurts after the sixth race and I was beginning to doubt my sanity. I was watching the race making my note and I could not help listening to the commentary. The trouble is the commentary I was hearing bore little semblance to what I was seeing. Having now seen a replay I am happy that what I saw was right and Des Scahill had a really bad call. A very short on the last as my battery is getting low. The top two in the betting fought out the finish with the second favourite Dress Rehersal getting the better of the favourite Ebalista. That’s it from a very enjoyable afternoon’s racing here at Naas.
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Results
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