Flight Risk sets the standard in the Group 3 Plusvital Ballycorus Stakes at the second of the Bulmers Live evenings in Leopardstown.
The Jim Bolger-trained eight-year-old landed this prize in 2017 but hadn’t won in the intervening 23 months until bolting up in the listed Glencairn Stakes, over a mile, at this venue last week.
The veteran looked as good as ever, the strong pace setting up the race perfectly for Kevin Manning’s mount. Having hit the front, he stretched clear to slam Hand On Heart by three and a half lengths.
That victory followed a creditable seasonal debut effort in a Curragh handicap on Guineas weekend, when failing by a half-length to Royal Hunt Cup contender Jassaar, to which he was conceding 21lb.
Dropping back to seven furlongs shouldn’t inconvenience Flight Risk, once there’s plenty of pace in the race. And I expected the Teofilo gelding to do the business again.
The Jessica Harrington-trained Onlyhuman, which let us down when beaten by Magnetic North in a Navan handicap last Saturday, might recoup losses, under top-weight, in the Fitzers Catering Rated Race.
This six-year-old has won and been second twice since joining Harrington from Eddie Lynam’s yard, winning a Limerick handicap off 79 in late April.
Raised 6lb for that win, he failed, under a confident ride by Shane Foley, to get to grips with Magnetic North in Navan, beaten a half-length.
He went up another 3lb for that win, to 88, but races tonight off 84 and, with plenty of rain expected, he will enjoy ‘juice’ in the ground.
Expecting Foley to be more pro-active on the Invincible Spirit gelding this time, Onlyhuman has outstanding claims.
The Harrington/Foley combination might also strike with Morpho Blue in the Irish Stallion Farms Fillies Maiden, if the Mastercraftsman filly builds on her seasonal debut fourth to Balefire (my fancy for tonight’s ‘Coolio’ 3-Y-0 Handicap) in a Cork maiden last month.
As a juvenile, she lost by a short-head to Ballydoyle filly Happen (already a Group 3 winner this season) in a course and distance maiden last October, having made her debut behind Qipco 2,000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia at Naas.
The Willie Mullins-trained Royal Illusion, a dual bumper-winner before finishing third to subsequent Grade 2 winner The Glancing Queen in a listed event in Cheltenham, appeals in the concluding Leopardstown Members Maiden.
This Ballylinch Stud-owned King’s Theatre mare was beaten less than a length by Tipitena in her first venture under flat rules in Roscommon.
And she looks capable of success at this level.
Peter O'Hehir's tips
5.35. ARMORY
6.10. MORPHO BLUE
6.40. BALEFIRE
7.10. ONLYHUMAN (NAP)
7.40. FLIGHT RISK
8.10. HARVEST BOW
8.40. ROYAL ILLUSION
NEXT BEST
5.35. JUSTIFIER
6.10. KALANOURA
6.40. WESTERN DAWN
7.10. RED STRIKER
7.40. GORDON LORD BYRON
8.10. ARCHERS UP
8.40. JERANDME
DOUBLE: ONLYHUMAN & ROYAL ILLUSION.
O’HEHIR’S LONGSHOT: EL TREN (8.10)
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