Irish eyes smiling on Go Racing
New Zealand-based syndicators Go Racing’s winning roll in Ireland continued over the weekend with two starters for two wins, bringing a total of six wins from their last seven starts there.
Both winners were purchased in partnership with Blandford Bloodstock’s Stuart Boman, trained by Joseph O’Brien, and ridden by Dylan Browne McMonagle.
Mojave River was the first to score, the three-year-old filly picked up the second win of her career in the Buy Tickets Online At www.corkracecourse.ie Median Auction Race (1600m) at Cork.
Back in class, having run at Royal Ascot last start, Mojave River jumped well to lead from barrier one, was headed over the final two furlongs, but showed a good turn of foot to regain the lead and win in impressive fashion with a winning margin of half a length.
“I felt that the further I went the better she was getting,” Browne McMonagle said. “We got it nice and easy in front, and she travelled good and picked up nicely.
“It took a while for her to lengthen but from the furlong pole to the line she was good and tough, and she hit the line well.
“I think she will improve as she goes up in trip and she’ll be suited to a more evenly run race.”
The daughter of Mohaather has been nominated for the Listed Arthur Guinness Irish EBF Corrib Fillies Stakes at Galway on Thursday. A decision is yet to be made as to whether she will back up so soon, however Go Racing’s Albert Bosma confirmed that she will target a stakes race next start.
Mojave River was purchased by Boman and Go Racing out of the Tattersalls Ireland Horses InTraining Sale for €105,000 from the draft of Ardglas Stables.
Go Racing’s Albert Bosma was quick to praise Boman’s proven eye for success, as a key factor in the syndication company’s recent success not only in the northern hemisphere but also the southern hemisphere, describing their partnership as “amazingly successful.”
The next win came in the form of exciting two-year-old filly Alibah, who defeated a full field of 17 towin the Irish EBF Auction Series Fillies Maiden (1400m) at Gowran Park on debut.
The daughter of Galileo Gold jumped well from barrier one, tracking the leading pair throughout before taking the lead inside the final furlong and staying on well to win by three-quarters of a length.
“She did that really good,” Browne McMonagle said. “She put herself in a good position, travelled around good and was always very relaxed.
“The speed wasn’t that quick, so it was a bit of a blast down the straight, but once the penny dropped for her from the furlong home, she was always going to win.
“She was doing her best work at the line, and hopefully she can keep going forward and onwards and upwards.”
Alibah was purchased by Blandford Bloodstock and Go Racing for 42,000 gns from the draft of Hyde Park Stud, at Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up Sale in April.
Alibah is the latest winner to come out of Go Racing’s global model which involves purchasing two-year-old horses out of the breeze up sales in Europe and the United Kingdom, in partnership with Boman, to initially race in the United Kingdom and Europe before transferring to champion Australian trainer Chris Waller to target the lucrative cups races down under.
Since April Go Racing has celebrated 7 wins and 4 placings in Ireland, with Masoun, Dial Me In, Nobler and Omni Man also successful.
The Go Racing team are now bracing themselves for a run of late nights or early mornings tuning into this week’s ‘Glorious Goodwood’ festival in West Sussex, England, where they have three runners.
Having won his last two races, the Joseph O’Brien-trained Masoun takes his place in the £100,000Coral Chesterfield Cup Handicap on Tuesday (12:20am Wednesday NZ Time).
His stablemate Omni Man, who ran a creditable fifth at Royal Ascot last month, runs in the Coral Pipped At The Post Winners Handicap on Wednesday (12:20am Wednesday NZ Time).
Then on Thursday Go Racing’s Brian Meehan-trained two-year-old Eleanor Shelby makes her debut in the Tatler British EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes on Thursday (3.55am Friday NZ Time).
To watch the replay of Mojave River’s win click here.
To watch the replay of Alibah’s win click here.
Photo: Mojave River post race.