O’Brien’s dominate as flat racing returns to Naas
The Joseph O'Brien trained Beset, ridden by Declan McDonogh, on the way to winning The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Devoy Stakes at Naas Racecourse on Sunday Photo: carolinenorris.ie
Powerhouse trainer and jockey combination Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore picked up a treble on the card as Naas hosted its first Flat meeting of the season on Sunday.
Aidan’s son Joseph also had a successful day as he landed a double on the day, including in the feature race of the day - the Listed Devoy Stakes.
Read below for a full report of the Naas card courtesy of NewBettingSites.uk
Up first was the six furlong handicap at 1.35, with the opener going the way of Noble National at 4/1 for the Gerard O’Leary team, a half a length scorer from Exceeding (14/1) in second, with the winner just about doing enough to hold on despite weakening inside the final 110 yards having gone clear inside the final furlong.
A field of 15 headed to the stalls for the five furlong handicap in race two (2.10) and trainer Ken Condon got in the win column here with Oh Cecelia, a 9/2 joint favourite that was another half a length winner from Shadow Run (13/2) in second.
The O’Brien and Moore duo got off the mark in race three (2.40) with Accredited, who was a 13/8 winner of the seven furlong maiden and got off the mark at the second time of asking when winning by two and a half lengths from favourite Sindagan.
Independent Expert was a big 25/1 winner for the Denis Hogan yard in race four (3.12) by half a length from another big price shot at 20/1 in Quatre Bras.
Moore and O’Brien were back in the winners’ enclosure in the seven furlong handicap at 3.47 with 13/8 favourite Causeway, who defied top weight to land the €29,450 top prize and could follow in the footsteps of Paddington, who won this race before going on to land four Group 1 contests for the O’Brien yard.
Joseph O’Brien picked up the first of two wins on the card when landing the Listed Devoy Stakes (4.22) by three lengths from Lemsairbat (11/1) in second, before dad Aidan completed the treble on the day with even money favourite Drop Dead Gorgeous in the mile maiden (4.57) by a length and a quarter.
Finally, Hardy Warrior picked up the win in the final race of the afternoon at 5.30, winning by a cosy four and a half lengths from 11/4 shot Take Charge Star in second.
Naas results - Sunday
1.35 - Noble Nation (4/1)
2.10 - Oh Cecelia (9/2 JF)
2.40 - Accredited (13/8)
3.12 - Independent Expert (25/1)
3.47 - Causeway (13/8F)
4.22 - Beset (11/4)
4.57 - Drop Dead Gorgeous (Even F)
5.30 - Hardy Warrior (13/8)
