Roosevelt sights to be raised after maiden win

Roosevelt was transformed from his first run to his second when winning the Captain Dara Fitzpatrick Memorial Maiden at Leopardstown.

The Frankel colt, who is trained by Aidan O’Brien and was a 950,000 guineas purchase, was last of 10 behind stablemate Stay True on his debut at the same track early last month.

With the winner having finished a narrow second in Saturday’s Lingfield Derby Trial, Roosevelt was sent off a 7-1 shot under Wayne Lordan and after setting the pace in a slowly-run race over a mile and a half, he put his head down when it counted to defeat Joseph O’Brien’s Delta by a head on the line.

Chris Armstrong, stable representative, said: “Wayne gave him a lovely ride. He steadied it up and got the fractions spot on and stretched on at the line.

“In fairness, he ran here the last day and Declan (McDonogh) spoke highly of him.

“He’s a big, burly colt and he’s still carrying plenty of condition, even today. He’s stepped forward from the last day and will step forward again. Wayne said he had two good blows before the line.

“He’s a horse that stays well and has all the right entries. He could come back here for something like the Nijinsky and could end up an Irish Derby type or the Queen’s Vase for Ascot.

“He’ll strip fitter again so there is more to come from him.”

The same yard had another maiden winner as Butterfly Wings took the It’s Family Day At Leopardstown Fillies Maiden by four lengths under Wayne Lordan at 2-1.

“She had run in a couple of very good maidens, and we thought she might have won by now,” Armstrong said.

“Hopefully that win will give her the confidence to send her to the next level.

“Wayne felt she was grand at that trip but the best would probably be when she goes up to a mile and a half, which gives plenty of options.

“It’s great to get the maiden win and we’ll see where she fits in with the other fillies and try to get some black type.”

Zodiac Bear also took a huge step forward from his debut to take the Fitz Agriplant Maiden for Johnny Murtagh and Ben Coen.

The three-year-old was well beaten at the Curragh when taking to the track for the first time in March, but lined up a 5-1 chance at the second time of asking when stepped down to seven furlongs.

In a field of 11 he travelled handily throughout and was able to pull away to score by four and a quarter lengths.

“He ran OK on soft ground at the Curragh. He was very green and grabbed a hold to come forward at halfway, he picked up and then got tired on the ground,” said Coen.

“Back on a nicer surface today, he obviously sharpened up and we dropped him back to seven.

“He was still plenty green throughout the race but when I pulled him out and asked him to quicken up the straight, he put it to bed nicely and galloped through the line strong.

“He’s a big unit. Last year he was a slow burner, and it was always going to be about this year with him and I think he’s going to be a horse to keep improving.

“It’s hard to know what was behind me but he beat them convincingly while he was still green.”

Chicago Critic continued a fruitful afternoon for Murtagh and Coen when taking the Porsche In Support Of Breast Cancer Ireland Amethyst Stakes at 14-1.

The complexion of the race changed when Aidan O’Brien’s Diego Velazquez, the clear favourite, became very unsettled in the stalls and was withdrawn.

A field of six therefore went forward to contest the Listed event, and under a patient ride it was the chestnut who came to the fore by a length and three-quarters.

Coen said: “He’s a talented horse. We’ve kind of been messing around a bit with trips for him from a mile to six (furlongs) but I think a mile and fast ground is ideal for him.

“We didn’t go quick today, and I had a good turn of foot towards the end. It’s nice to get his head in front again.”