Double for Hogan as O’Brien comes back to Classic form

Carrick-On-Suir trainer Kevin Coleman was among the winners at Roscommon on Monday where Swiss Army Officer arrived late on the scene to land the opening division of the seven-furlong apprentice handicap.

Ridden by Conor Stone-Walsh, the 9/1 chance got up to beat Denis Hogan’s joint-favourite Barnhill Rose by half a length.

Toomevara trainer Ray Hackett and Joey Sheridan shared the easiest winner of the session as the Liam Hackett-owned Sequoiaspirit added to his recent Gowran Park success with a three and a quarter-length win in the concluding 12-furlong handicap. The 5/1 chance went clear early inside the final furlong to win from the Anthony McCann-trained Luminous Light.

Denis Hogan won the opening claiming hurdle at Punchestown on Tuesday with the Premier Racing Club-owned Bal De Rio. The 15/8 favourite came through to lead under Daniel King after the final hurdle to win by half a length from the Ray Cody-trained Fancy A Cosmo. The winner was claimed back by his own connections.

Paddy Twomey and Billy Lee landed a clearcut success with the Arabian Bloodstock-owned Moon De Vega at Gowran Park on Tuesday. A 13/8 chance, the four-year-old led a furlong from the finish in the nine-furlong fillies and mares’ race and quickened clear to score by three and a quarter lengths from the Dermot Weld-trained odds-on favourite Mashia.

John Nallen and his nephew Sean Bowen combined to take the opening division of the eight-furlong handicap with Pinball Wizard. A 25/1 chance in the trainer’s own colours, the five-year-old overcame a wide draw to beat the Johnny Feane-trained Bright Moment and Ben Coen by a length and a quarter, a thirteenth career success for the Clonmel apprentice.

Denis Hogan added to his earlier win with Bal De Rio at Punchestown as the Joey Sheridan-ridden Rumbled Again took the seven-furlong handicap. The Tony Cantwell-owned 8/1 chance led passing the two-furlong pole and had a length to spare over the Michael Mulvany-trained Rathbranchurch at the line.

John Ryan and Littleton conditional jockey Liam Quinlan shared the first winner at Limerick on Friday where My Gaffer justified his short odds to land the auction maiden hurdle. An odds-on favourite, the five-year-old led approaching the final hurdle and he gamely held the Mark Molloy-trained Littlefoot by three-parts of a length.

Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore shared their first winner of the weekend at the Curragh on Friday evening where odds-on favourite Subzero recorded a narrow success in the seven-furlong maiden. The three-year-old made most of the running and held off the late run of the John murphy-trained Space Age, by a neck.

The champion trainer dominated at the Curragh on Saturday where recorded his twelfth success in the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas as Paddington stormed to a two-length win under Ryan Moore.

For good measure, the Wayne Lordan-ridden Cairo came through to pip Oisin Murphy’s mount Hi Royal for the runner-up spot behind the strongly supported 3/1 chance.

It was a first victory in the race for the Ballydoyle maestro since 2017 and the winner is likely to tackle the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot next.

O'Brien and Moore had earlier taken the two-year-old maiden over six furlongs with odds-on favourite Unquestionable which raced to a four and a half-length success over the Ger Lyons-trained My Saturday.

Meanwhile at Haydock Park, the O'Brien-trained Little Big Bear put an underwhelming run in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket firmly behind him as he recorded an impressive win in the six-furlong Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes under Frankie Dettori.

Johnny Murtagh added to his winner at the course on the previous evening as Mashoor, landed the Listed Orby Stakes in the colours of the Brunabonne Syndicate. Ben Coen had the five-year-old in front before the furlong pole and they made the best of their way home to beat Tony Martin’s Annerville by a length and a half.

Joey Sheridan rode out his claim as he won the 10-furlong handicap on the Paul Flynn-trained Timourid. The 16/1 chance didn’t enjoy the clearest of runs but once in the open, he picked up well to score by a head from the Andy Slattery-trained Smooth Tom, the 95th career success for the winning jockey.

Aidan O'Brien landed a four-timer at the Curragh on Sunday where he again shared his success with Ryan Moore. The highlight of their winners was easily the battling victory of last year’s Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes winner Luxembourg in the Grade 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup.

Moore was superb on the 11/4 chance which made all the running and gamely held off the Michael Stoute-trained Bay Bridge by half a length, a 400th Group and Grade 1, both on the Flat and over jumps, for the winning trainer.

The intervention of the stewards saw the Ballydoyle-trained Drumroll take the Group 3 Heider Family Stable Gallinule Stakes. The odds-on favourite was hampered by the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Teutates, ridden by Gavin Ryan, inside the final furlong and having lost out by just a shorthead, it came as little surprise when the judge’s placings were reversed.

O'Brien and Moore had kicked off with success for Matrika in the opening six-furlong two-year-old fillies’ maiden and rounded off a big weekend as High Chieftess too won the 10-furlong fillies’ maiden.

Paddy Twomey and Billy Lee scored an impressive success with the Moyglare Stud Farm-owned Just Beautiful in the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes. The 4/1 chance made almost all the running and powered clear from the furlong pole to win by two and three-parts of a length from the Joseph O'Brien-trained Jumbly.