Islandsinthestream makes a splash on Curragh debut
Islandsinthestream is set for an immediate step up to Pattern level after coming from last to first to make a winning start to his career at the Curragh.
Connections went to €135,000 to secure the Wootton Bassett colt as a yearling in October and he was a 9-1 shot on his competitive debut for Joseph O’Brien in the Holden Plant Rentals Irish EBF Maiden, a race won by subsequent Group-race winners Point Lonsdale and Crypto Force in the the last two seasons.
Ridden confidently by Declan McDonogh, Islandsinthestream swooped on the outside of the field to beat 5-2 joint-favourites School Of Law and Portland by a length and a half-length respectively.
The winner does not appear bound for Royal Ascot, but does have some high-profile options on home soil later in the summer.
O’Brien said: “Declan rode him in a few bits of work at home and he’s quite a laidback horse. We thought this would be a lovely starting point for him and didn’t expect him to go and win.
“Dec was very impressed with him. He really got the hang of things late and was green when he hit the front but is smart.
“We thought if he ran into a place that he would be hard to beat here in a month’s time.
O’Brien completed a double as Nusret (3-1 favourite) landed the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Handicap in the hands of Mikey Sheehy, before later making it a treble with the John Gleeson-ridden Lionnar (9-4) in the Betting Better With Sky Bet Flat Race
Of Nusret, the trainer said: “He loves that set up and is a talented horse on his day. He’s a Grade Two winner over hurdles.
“The Ebor is obviously his target now. He’ll probably run in something between now and then and could get into a Galway Hurdle.”
Alabama was all the race as an 8-15 shot, having finished third on his Cork debut in April, but weakened late on and passed the post in fourth place.
But The Liffey, a half-brother to last month’s Dee Stakes winner San Antonio, ensured victory went to Aidan O’Brien in any case on his introduction, repelling the late surge of My Mate Alfie by a neck in the hands of Seamie Heffernan.
“He was working nice, but first time we thought he’d be green,” said O’Brien.
“He jumped quick and travelled well. He got the trip well and Seamus said he felt like he had loads of speed.
“He’s a big horse so he will improve plenty. You could say he’s an Ascot horse but maybe we might take our time and come back here for the Railway Stakes.
“He’s a big, powerful horse, he’s growing and putting on plenty of weight, so it’s a balancing act between backing off him and keeping him going. If you back off him too much he’ll get too heavy and yet you don’t want to push him too much. Hopefully he’ll keep progressing.”
Winning trainer Fozzy Stack said: “He could go for the three-year-old five-furlong handicap (Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes) at Royal Ascot on the Friday.
“It would suit him as needs to get there late and presumably there will be plenty of pace on.
“We won this with Son Of Rest (in 2017, who went on to win the Ayr Gold Cup the following year) and if he turns out winning what he did, we’ll be all right!”
Jessica Harrington notched a double, with Scarlett O’Hara justifying 13-8 favouritism in the Montane Developments Supporting Relay For Life Fillies Maiden and Blanc De Noir striking at 20-1 in the Win 50K Weekly With ITV7 For Free Handicap, both ridden by Nathan Crosse.