Sam James recorded a 230/1 double at Dundalk this evening.

Sam James recorded a 230/1 double at Dundalk tonight with the first leg coming aboard the Kieran Cotter trained Little Village at odds of 10/1 in the www.dundalkstadium.com Handicap.

Bangalore Diamond who was well backed in the morning (6/1 into 3/1) looked set to collect after making the running as he led them into the final furlong but despite drifting in the market, Little Village was given a brilliant ride by Sam James to come with a very late run and collar Luckiest Owners on the line. Bangalore Diamond was a further neck back in third.

Winning trainer Cotter said after the race “This is not a bad place! That’s a third and a winner today. With a bit of luck she might win another one but she needs a cut in the ground. We made a policy decision a year ago that if the horses were no good they were out the door. We’ve whittled it down to six or seven horses.”

It took less than a half an hour for James to register his double as he sprung a surprise on 20/1 shot Give Me Shelter in the Louth Rated Race.

After finishing mid-division on his last start a fortnight ago the Bernard Heffernan trained gelding travelled very well under young James and when he hit the front with a furlong to go he kept on strongly to secure a length-and-a-half victory over  the David Peter Nagle trained Elwazeer.

Winning trainer Heffernan said after the race “He got a good draw and got his own way – he’s a real front-runner. If he sits in behind when working he does nothing. He has to be ridden from the front. I thought this race might be a bit hot for him. He might come back here as he loves this surface. He also likes good to yielding on turf.

The Athboy based trainer added “Sam is riding very well and the 5lb certainly helps. He’s as good as any of them.”

Liam Glynn

Almanack provided Tommy Stack with another winner of the 2012 Flat season at Dundalk this evening.

Wayne Lordan and Tommy Stack continued their run of good fortune tonight at Dundalk as Almanack made all to land the opening www.dundalkstadium.com Maiden.

The two year old son of Haatef was very unlucky at the track just under three weeks ago when he was sent off the ¼ favourite but could only manage a close third to the Ger Lyons Tennessee Wildcat after getting hampered in the final 100 yards.

Tonight was a different story at the count Louth track as Wayne Lordan was not going to let the colt get into any trouble as he lead from start to finish.  With a furlong to go Lordan asked his mount to quicken and he ran on strongly to post a length-and-a-quarter success over the John Joseph Murphy trained Truly Madly.

Winning jockey Wayne Lordan who has had a brilliant start to the 2012 Flat season said “He did it well and knew his job better today. He’s one of the better two-year-olds I’ve ridden this season. He’s still a bit green. Six furlongs wouldn’t be an issue for him.”

Almanack is owned by David Slater from Newcastle in England who has three horses in training with Tommy Stack and after the race he said “Fozzy Stack said the horse had plenty of ability. We thought he would win first time but he just ran green on the wide outside.”

It was trainer Tommy Stack’s third winner off the week following a double at the Killarney May Festival on Tuesday evening.

Liam Glynn

Camelot remains on course for the Epsom Derby as 24 entries remain at the latest scratches.

Camelot remains one of the 24 runners that have been left in at the latest scratching stage for the Investec Derby at Epsom in June.

Camelot was an impressive winner of the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Aidan O’Brien  three year old has been a warm order for the June 2^nd  Classic at Epsom all winter, but shortened to odds-on with many bookmakers after winning the feature at racing headquarters.

Thursday’s impressive Dante winner Bonfire still holds an entry and hopes to light up Epsom in a few weeks time whilst Main Sequence who was an impressive winner of the Lingfield Derby Trial still remains in the field.

Ballydoyle has kept in Astrology, Father Of Science, Imperial Monarch and Tower Rock some of which look set to be Camelot’s pace maker.

Sir Henry Cecil still holds entries with Frankel’s little brother Noble Mission, Thomas Chippendale and Wrotham Heath while Godolphin have decided to keep both Mariner’s Cross and Dante flop Mandaean in the reckoning.

A horse may be supplemented for the valuable race at a cost of £75,000 on May 28^th.

Meanwhile, 22 fillies remain in the Epsom Oaks and Ballydoyle has a pick from Chesire Oaks second Betterbetterbetter, Devotion, Kissed, Maybe, Twirl and Was.

Liam Glynn

Imperial Concorde looks a horse that will be Galway bound for trainer Dermot Weld.

With just under ten weeks to the 2012 Galway Festival, the Dermot Weld and Dr Lambe partnership struck at Gowran park this evening as Imperial Concorde landed the opening Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Maiden under stable jockey Pat Smullen.

Available as big as 7/2 in the morning, Pat Smullen made all the running on the 4/5 favourite at the county Kilkenny track and although the former champion jockey needed to get serious in the saddle inside the final furlong, he held off the challenge of the Jim Bolger trained Einsteins Folly by a head.

Winning trainer Dermot Weld said “That’s our first two-year-old runner of the year. He’s a nephew of Grey Swallow and I like him a lot. He’s a really nice colt. Our two-year-olds have been a bit backward this year.

The Rosewell House based trainer added “Pat said he tired a bit close home, and he was left in front as nobody wanted to make it. We’ll see how he comes out of this before making plans but I think he’s a stakes horse.”

No doubt the Curragh based trainer will be eying a possible handicap at the Galway Festival for the two year old son of High Chaparral.

It was winner number twenty of the 2012 flat season for last year’s runner up in the jockey’s championship.

Liam Glynn

Apprentice Conor Hoban recorded a double at Gowran park this evening.

Apprentice Conor Hoban was the man on fire at Gowran Park this evening as he recorded a 33/1 at the county Kilkenny track.

The first leg of the double came aboard the Pat martin trained Ok Annie in the Early Bird Green Fees At Gowran Park Handicap.

Annie Ok was unplaced on her last four starts at Dundalk but was as big as 14/1 in the morning and returned at 13/52 following a morning gamble. Conor Hoban’s mount settled the race with a furlong left to go as she quickened impressively to record an easy three lengths win over the Kevin Prendergast trained Coppertop.

Winning trainer Pat Martin said after the race “She never grew a bit over the winter but she quickened up well. After the last day in Dundalk the rider said she just doesn’t like it there. She won on similar ground in Sligo last year. I expected a good run but I didn’t expect that.”

It took just an hour for young Hoban to register his second winner of the night as he guided the Pat Flynn trained Legendary Times to a two-and-three-quarter length victory in the Goresbridge Apprentice Handicap.

Hoban sent the mare who is owned by Republic Of Ireland soccer player John O’Shea to the front just over a furlong out and the 7/2 joint favourite kept on well to beat 16/1 chance First Friday by two and three quarter lengths.

Winning trainer Pat Flynn said “That’s brilliant and it’s nice to have a winner for John O’Shea. He had an ankle injury during the week but that will cheer him up now. He’s over in Portugal at the moment with his family on holiday.”

The county Waterford trainer added “She deserves that win. She goes into the stalls late and if they don’t open straight away she’ll be left in them. I’m delighted for the young Conor Hoban as well as he was very cool on her.”

It was apprentices Conor Hoban’s third career double.

Liam Glynn

Kevin Prendergast is very happy with La Colllina ahead of the Irish 1000 Guineas.

Curragh based trainer Kevin Prendergast has reported that his filly La Collina is to try her luck at the Ethiad 1000 Guineas at The Curragh on May 27^th following her excellent effort in the English equivalent at Newmarket.

Considering the ground was against the filly at Newmarket, Kevin Prendergast was pleased with her fifth to Homecoming Queen in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas.

Prendergast reports last year’s Phoenix Stakes winner to have come on for her first run since she filled third place behind Maybe in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh last August.

“She’s come out of Newmarket very well and runs in the Irish Guineas on Sunday week,” said the County Kildare handler.

“We’ll just keep her ticking over. She’s in good shape and seems to have come out of the Guineas well.

He added “The ground was too soft for her for a start, but then again it was soft for them all. She likes fast ground and hopefully it’s supposed to be dry next week and we might get a good track.”

The Curragh trainer also holds an entry with Bulbul in the featured Irish classic but he believes that the distance may be a bit too far for her stamina.

Bulbul was last seen finishing second behind the John Joseph Murphy trained Gossamer Seed in the Group Three Canford Cliffs EBF Athasi Stakes.

I’m not so sure she’d get a mile, but she’s not a definite non-runner in the Irish Guineas,” said the trainer.

“I’ve got to discuss it with the owners. She’s been left in and we’ll see what happens.”

Prendergast ruled out his other entry Aaraas who finished second to Princess Highway in the Group Three Blue Wind Stakes at Naas last night.

Speaking about the daughter of Haafhd he said “Aaraas ran well there. She just got chinned by one of Dermot Weld’s in the stakes race. At the moment I’ve got to play it by ear and see how she comes out of the race. I think I might have to avoid the bigger races with her and go for a Listed race.”

Liam Glynn

Timmy Murphy provided Gordon Elliott with another winner at Perth tonight.

Gordon Elliott yet again proved why he is the King of Perth Racecourse as he sent out Karinga Queen to land the Steadfast Scotland Novices’ Handicap Chase at Perth this evening under Timmy Murphy.

The mare that is owned by Vincent Holton was just having her second run for Meath based Elliott having previously being under the care of Michael Fitzsimmons.

She finished fifth on her debut for Elliott last Friday at Downpatrick thirteen lengths behind High Talk.

The eight year old daughter of Karinga Bay was well fancied today and justified her odds of 5/2 as she recorded a thirteen length success having come with her challenge at the second last and soon led, staying on strongly away from the last.

Elliott runs five horses at Perth tomorrow and after Karinga Queens win, the former Grand National winning trainer said “”I think all our runners here tomorrow have each-way chances.”

Earlier on the card at the Scottish track, the Aidan Howard trained newcomer Tepalo ran a cracker on his debut in the maiden hurdle at 7:30 under Paddy Brennan.

The 5yo gelded son of Epalo had every chance on the run-in but couldn’t match the winner Kris Cross, going down by a length and a quarter at the line at the odds of 16/1.

Gordon Elliott was in no luck in the Novices Handicap Hurdle with Narjawa and Kasszec in the Alan Normille Maiden Hurdle as both of them finished down the field.

Liam Glynn

Pat Smullen rode Princess Highway to claim the Group Three at Naas this evening.

Dermot Weld was back in the winner’s enclosure at Naas this evening as Princess Highway claimed the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Blue Wind Stakes under stable jockey Pat Smullen.

Despite the David Wachman trained Aloof trying to make all the running, Princess Highway was always tucked in behind and the winner took it up when that one folded and she kept on well from there to score by a length at the line.

The daughter of Street City is owned by Moyglare Stud Farms and is also a half-sister to the high class Group 3 winner and multiple Group 1 placed Mad About You and the Thomas Carmody trained five time winner Royal Diamond who recently won a handicap at Leopardstown in impressive fashion.

Aloof ran out of steam at the two furlong post and could only manage to finish last of the six runners.

The Kevin Prendergast trained Aaraas ran a cracker at 12/1 to finish second under Declan McDonogh whilst the 3/1 joint favourite Shebella could only manage to finish fifth.

Winning trainer Dermot Weld said “That was a nice performance by her and she is a lovely filly.  We won the Ribblesdale with her dam and I think that is the logically way to go with her. It was always in my mind to come here and then go for the Ribblesdale.”

The Rosewell House based trainer added “She is a very nice progressive filly and I hope she might be as good as Blue Wind, who this race is named after. She won the Epsom and Irish Oaks for me. Epsom might be a bit premature for this filly and I think it is the right strategy to go for the Ribblesdale.”

Liam Glynn

William Buick asserted on The Fugue at York today.

Aidan O’Brien’s filly Twirl could only manage to finish second  in the Group Three Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York this afternoon behind the John Gosden trained easy winner The Fugue under William Buick.

Twirl was all the rage in the betting this morning (6/4 into 4/5) as rumours still circulated that the John Gosden trained The Fugue wasn’t fully recovered after she had been struck in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas when finishing fourth at Epsom.

The Fugue showed no sign of this today as the daughter of Dansili ran an excellent race. The early pace was taken on with Kieran Fallon aboard Aniseed as twirl had missed the break from the stalls but she soon challenged for the lead as herself and The Fugue headed Aniseed for the lead.

As they raced side-by-side, O’Brien became more and more animated in the saddle in stark contrast to William Buick who was motionless aboard his Lady Lloyd-Webber owned mount.

When push came to shove, The Fugue (15/8) quickened in the style of a seriously smart performer to provide Gosden with back-to-back wins in the race by a margin of four and a half lengths from Twirl which could easily have been many more.

Winning rider William Buick said after the race “She felt very good. She was a little bit keen early on and she’s still inexperienced, so when horses come around her, she’s a very reactive filly. I just tried to get her to settle and she picked up really well – she’s class. The Guineas wasn’t a very nice experience for her. She wasn’t unlucky but she came out worst in a barging match and I’m just glad to have her back. At Epsom you need tactical speed and she certainly has that.”

John Gosden who was delighted after the race said “”She was very inexperienced running in the Guineas off the back of a maiden win but she’s a lovely filly. She ran great at Newmarket but we’re back on decent ground and all being well she’ll be going to Epsom. I just wouldn’t want to see the ground go soft. If it does she’d revert to the French Oaks but she has a good turn of foot and William felt she’d stay very well. She’s classy and showed it today.”

The Fugue is now bets priced at 4/1 for The Oaks at Epsom next month.

Liam Glynn

Wayne Lordan recorded a double for his boss Tommy Stack at Killarney this evening.

Wayne Lordan and Tommy Stack combined to saddle a double at Killarney this evening.

The first leg of the double at the county Kerry track came aboard Van Rooney who came with a late run to beat Custom Cat in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden.

Speaking about Van Rooney, Fozzy Stack assistant trainer to his father Tommy said “I thought he would need the run. I’d been waiting on goodish ground for him and he probably wasn’t 100 per cent. Hopefully he’ll improve away.”

The Paul Deegan trained Lucciola who was as short as 4/6 in the morning drifted to 9/4 joint favourite and could only manage to finish a poor sixth.

The second leg of the Stack/Lordan double came in the Dunloe Handicap when Croi An Or got the better of his stable mate Kedleston in a four way photo finish.

Suehail who is trained by county Tipperary trainer David Marnane got a lovely split on the rail to head Kedleston at the furlong pole but Kedleston refused to back down. The pair battled it out to the line but it was the fast finishing Croi An Or who got the better of the pair on the line.

The well fancied Aidan O’Brien trained Thomasgainsborough held every chance a furlong out but didn’t quicken and had to settle for fourth place in the end under Joseph O’Brien.

Winning assistant trainer Fozzy Stack said afterwards “I’d have settled for a dead heat. I didn’t think Kedleston was second. Croi An Or did well to win. We just took on Jessie’s horse Backbench Blues too soon the last day. He won’t go much further than this trip and is fairly effective at it. A bigger field and a better pace will suit him.”

Liam Glynn