A review of the pick of the action from Naas on Sunday, as a few horses booked their spots at Royal Ascot and Henry De Bromhead caused a stir.
De Bromhead at the double
Henry De Bromhead, a trainer best known for his high-level jumps exploits, pulled off a remarkable double courtesy of Totally Puzzled (50/1) in the Twydil/Clovelly Irish EBF Fillies Maiden and 33/1 shot Wannabe Royal in the Listed Owenstown Stud Stakes.
Both horses executed pillar-to-post tactics in the hands of Ronan Whelan, Totally Puzzled holding on by a head from 5/2 favourite Elmakaya, with Wannabe Royal briefly headed before battling back on the inside rail to beat Aidan O'Brien's 9/4 chance Expanded by a head.
Victorious still unbeaten
O'Brien was on the mark as promising filly Victorious held on narrowly from promising debutant Controlla to make it two from two in her career in the Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint Stakes.
The 10/11 favourite wandered to her right slightly when placed under pressure a furlong and a half from the finish, 25/1 chance Controlla threatening to draw level up the stands' side rail, but Victorious knuckled down well late on to just get the better of the argument by a neck. There was six lengths back to the third home, 20/1 chance Dancing Destiny.
Paddy Power and Sky Bet make winner Victorious their 5/2 favourite for the Albany Stakes at next month's Royal Ascot.
O'Brien doubled up courtesy of Mission Central (5/4 favourite) in the Sole Power Sprint Stakes.
The three-year-old was making his seasonal debut and after settling in mid-division came to lead inside the last furlong on the stands' rail and beat Likedbymike (28/1) by three-quarters of a length.
Paddy Power halved the winners' price to 10/1 for the King Charles III Stakes.
Havana hangs tough on return
Havana Anna dug deep close home to make a winning start to her three-year-old campaign in the Goffs Lacken Stakes.
Barring a low-key run at the Breeders' Cup in October, Donnacha O'Brien's filly was a model of consistency as a juvenile last term, winning a maiden and at Listed level before finishing second to recent 1000 Guineas winner True Love in the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket.
In spite of her lack of a recent run, the daughter of Havana Grey responded generously to pressure under Gavin Ryan and toughed it out to to land the Group 3 prize by a head from 501 shot Oh Cecelia, with Tahcawin (14/1) and Royal Bay Cen (7/1) close up on third and fourth respectively.
Paddy Power and Sky Bet cut the winner to 10/1 from 25/1 for next month's Group 1 Commonwealth Cup.
Rest of the action...
Your Song (25/1) stepped up on a moderate debut run at Cork last month - when last of six runner - to win the Coolmore Stud Blackbeard Race.
Trained by Robson De Aguiar and ridden by Hollie Doyle in the five-furlong contest, the daughter of Coulsty made the best of her way home to run out a neck victor over 3/1 chance What A Girl Wants.
The Joseph O'Brien-trained Star Prospect, sent off the 4/6 market leader, was the disappointment of the race having raced in rear and failed to pick up sufficiently when asked the question a couple of furlongs from the finish.
Paddy Power introduced Your Song as 33/1 for the Queen Mary Stakes at the Royal meeting.
The opening Royal Ascot Trials At Naas Rated Race went to Noel Meade’s Bobby McGee, ridden by Colin Keane.
The 3/1 shot travelled well in third place before getting alongside eventual runner-up Victory Tip (14/1) with a furlong and a half to travel.
He battled his way to the front and stayed on to score by a length and a quarter, with just a short-head back to Latin America (9/2) in third.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Shaftesbury Avenue was a disappointing sixth as 2/1 favourite.
“We’ll stick him into the Britannia and see,” Meade told Racing TV when asked if Ascot was a potential next port of call. We’ll see what way it adds up between now and then but it’s certainly worth a look. If he keeps improving, why not?”
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
