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Reports13 October 2024

Comfort Zone thunders home to give Joseph O'Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle successive wins in lucrative handicap

Comfort Zone and Dylan Brown McMonagle (white cap) win the 2m premier handicap
Comfort Zone and Dylan Brown McMonagle (white cap) win the 2m premier handicapCredit: Patrick McCann

Comfort Zone justified strong market support to land the €100,000 Colm White Bookmaker Beggar's End Handicap, with the 4-1 favourite powering home to defeat Toll Stone by a length and three-quarters.

The success gave jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle and trainer Joseph O'Brien successive wins in the 2m premier handicap following their victory with Prairie Dancer 12 months ago.

The five-year-old, who has won two Grade 2 juvenile hurdles and was seventh in the Irish Cesarewitch two weeks ago, appeared on the scene travelling well two furlongs from home before kicking into overdrive in the last 150 yards to clear away in good style for jockey and trainer, who secured a double on the card with Miracle Beauty having shown an excellent attitude to prevail in the opening fillies' maiden.

Frank Berry, racing manager to Comfort Zone's owner JP McManus, said: "Dylan gave him a lovely ride and it's a lovely race to win. You will probably see him back over hurdles over the winter."

Caught U Looking romps clear

Caught U Looking gained a richly deserved success in the 1m4f Listed Bluebell Stakes having been a model of consistency throughout the campaign, which has included fifth-placed finishes in the Oaks and Irish Oaks. 

The step back up in trip seemed to work the oracle as the 16-5 favourite travelled with plenty of verve under Colin Keane en route to a dominant four-length victory over Galileo Dame.

Trainer Noel Meade said: "She deserved the win and she's never run a bad race all year. She's off to the December sales now and she's a valuable commodity as a broodmare or a racemare. I'll be sorry to see the back of her, but that's the way it goes."

Caught U Looking signs off for Noel Meade with a victory before heading to the December sales
Caught U Looking signs off for Noel Meade with a victory before heading to the December salesCredit: Patrick McCann

Azada aces it

Azada landed the second win of her career in the Listed Garnet Stakes, showing an excellent turn of foot at the furlong pole to put the race to bed under Chris Hayes for trainer Dermot Weld.

The Siyouni filly, who had some strong form to her name, most notably a sixth-placed finish in the Irish 1,000 Guineas on her seasonal debut, travelled powerfully into the lead in the straight before shooting clear of Sakti. She went on to score by a comfortable two lengths at odds of 9-2.

“She ran a very good race in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and won well as a two-year-old," said Weld. 

"The nine and a half furlongs might have been a little too far for her last time at Gowran. She'd been working well and I thought she might be hard to beat today. 

"She’s a very big filly and there's a possibility she may be kept in training next year."

Fiona lands big pot

Fiona Maccoul picked an excellent day to shed her maiden tag as she relished the step up to seven furlongs to land the €120,000 Irish EBF Auction Series Race Final for trainer Jessica Harrington, giving the stable an across-the-card double having also landed the opening maiden hurdle at Cork.

The Coulsty filly showed tremendous resolution late on to fend off the strong-travelling runner-up Bodhi Bear and come home half a length in front at odds of 11-1 under Nathan Crosse.


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Lump Sum leads home Welsh Champion Hurdle one-two for track founder Dai Walters and Sam Thomas 


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