A review of the rest of the action from Sunday's Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby card at the Curragh.
Falls shows sufficient Dash
British raider Commanche Falls justified 5/4 favouritism in the Listed Jebel Ali Racecourse & Stables Dash Stakes.
The market leader was pushed along in the early stages but made good headway to join Anthem National (18/1) in the front rank a furlong out and was soon in command.
Third behind Azure Blue in the 1895 Duke Of York Clipper Stakes last time, the five-year-old was strong to the line and went on to score by a length-and-a-quarter.
Mooneista, trained like the runner-up by Joseph O'Brien, took third.
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Winning trainer Michael Dods’ daughter and assistant Chloe said: “He always takes a while to warm into his races and you would be worried if he wasn’t like that. Connor thinks he will be a better horse in a better race. He’s really chilled at home and doesn’t sweat at all. He’s a very chilled out horse and good to train. The races for him in the UK are quite limited, so that’s why we came here. I don’t think we will be put off coming here again if there is something.
“He got too high to run in handicaps and has stepped up to stakes races. He’s performed well in them and my dad said the York run was probably his best run. We were going to go to Ascot for the Wokingham but he was too high and came here instead.”
Foley back with winner
Shane Foley returned from injury with a winner as Jessica Harington’s Bold Discovery won for the first time since his debut in the Dubai Duty Free Celebration Stakes.
Foley faced a race against time to be fit for the Irish Derby having broken his collar bone almost four weeks ago and while he had no joy on Sprewell in the big race, he left happy enough with a Listed winner.
Bold Discovery looked a very promising type when scoring first time out at two and he went on to be placed in the Killavullan Stakes.
He had been highly tried this season, finishing behind Paddington the last twice, most recently in the Irish Guineas.
Down markedly in class, he was sent off at 18-1 with Dermot Weld’s filly Tarawa all the rage on the back of her fast-finishing fourth in the Irish 1000 Guineas behind her stablemate Tahiyra.
With just over a furlong to run, Bold Discovery took over from Pretreville and held off the challenge of Tarawa by half a length.
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Harrington said: “That’s what he was showing us earlier in the year. He had allergies and kept scoping wrong after his races, but we’ve been able to treat them since the Guineas and he’s all right now. He loved going around that bend and for a big horse, he goes on that quick ground.
“That was really good and I’d say he will come forward from that and get a bit of confidence.”
Sprewell came home sixth in the Irish Derby after being hampered by San Antonio, who suffered a fatal injury over four furlongs out.
Harrington added: “Sprewell is OK. He just got interfered with at the wrong time and probably wasn’t quite letting himself down on the ground. I shut my eyes for a second and thought he was going to fall and Shane was going to fall again. It’s amazing what goes through your mind in half a second. He’ll live to fight another day.”
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