Hanalia finished with a flourish in the Blandford Stakes
Curragh review and free video replays from Irish Champions Weekend
By Sporting Life
18:10 · SUN September 15, 2024
A review of the supporting action from the Curragh on the second day of Irish Champions Weekend.
Hanalia spreads her wings
Hanalia (12/1) came from last to first in the Group Two Moyglare ''Jewels'' Blandford Stakes.
The Sea The Stars filly had it all to do turning into the straight but Shane Foley threaded Hanalia through a gap and she quickened smartly down the outside once in the clear to pass the whole field.
Ryan Moore had set out to make all on Wingspan and his filly kept finding from the front, seeing off a challenge from 2/1 favourite Purple Lily (third) but she couldn't quite repel her final challenger, going down by a neck.
Foley said: "I was a bit further back than ideal but she relaxed and there was only 10 of us. She took me into the race so well, I could go where I wanted. We hadn't gone fast so I decided to edge out in the straight and get a clear run with her.
"Johnny (Murtagh, trainer) said to get her relaxed and get her finishing and that's what she did; she's very, very genuine."
The trainer added: "We quietly fancied her coming here today. She had a good run in the Snow Fairy and I knew she'd improve with the shower of rain and the extra furlong.
"A mile and a quarter is probably ideal; we took a punt in the Oaks, she was going very well at the time. She did it well and hopefully there's one more big day in her. She's in the Prix de l'Opera (on Arc weekend) and that was the plan, we had a three race plan for the second half of the season, two down now and one to go."
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Group horse in a handicap
My Mate Alfie (12/1) provided Ger Lyons and Colin Keane with a second success on Irish Champions Weekend in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Bold Lad Sprint Handicap.
The stands' side appeared to hold the advantage during the six furlong handicap and My Mate Alfie finished strongest of those racing on the outside of the course in a race where the first five home were all drawn in double figures.
He pulled right away in the closing stages to beat Torivega by a length and a quarter with Tango Flare, Keke and Over The Blues separated by two heads and a neck.
Keane said: "To be fair to him he's been running in Listed and Group company all year, back down in handicaps, under top-weight for a three-year-old I thought was a fair performance. He likes a big field with a lot of cover and he didn't know he was in a race; he's probably a Group horse in a handicap to be fair."
Lyons added: "The top-weight is the best horse in the race and he's a Group horse coming back into a handicap but as a three-year-old you would have thought maybe a bigger question to ask than he could answer.
"The whole idea this year was to teach him how to sprint. The English sprinters can come over here and clean us out every year because they're sprinting week in week out, we're not, and he's answered every call and I think he's improved through the season.
"I'm delighted for Austin (Whelan, owner) because he's a lovely man to train for. He's not here today because he partook a little bit too much yesterday by all accounts so I told him 'you can restart the hangover this morning'!"
Keane doubled up for the day when This Songisforyou (9/1) took the closing Irish Stallion Farms EBF Northfields Handicap for trainer Emmet Mullins.
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Success starts at home
Spirit D'or (13/2) provided Gavin Hernon with a notable first winner in Ireland with a two length success in the Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sales Stakes
Hernon, who hails from Cork, is based at Chantilly in France and booked his old friend Ronan Whelan for the ride. This was Spirit D'Or's first run outside France and won cosily.
Whelan told irishracing.com: “It was a big call from Gavin to bring her over here and I got a good kick out of that as myself and Gavin worked in Jim Bolger's many moons ago, so that's our connection.
“He rang me during the week and we had a talk about whether it was worth bringing her and we both thought it was a good idea. Little fish are nice and it's a great pot to get.
“I'm very grateful to Gavin, he didn't forget from all those years ago and we're quite close. It was a great training performance, as she's not simple either.
"Watching her videos and speaking to everyone involved she is quite a forward-going filly. Going that last (extra) furlong was a little bit of an unknown but we thought if she did things right, she'd see it out.
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