RACING/NAAS REPORT:BEAU AMADEUS hadn't won in 10 starts prior to yesterday's €65,000 Derrinstown Birdcatcher Nursery but he picked the right time to spring a 14 to 1 surprise in the famous old handicap at Naas.
North Co Dublin trainer Ado McGuinness had been in two minds about what to do with the frustrating juvenile but decided to give him another chance under jockey Wayne Lordan.
“It was touch and go last week whether we came here, or whether we cut him. It was a good decision!” McGuinness grinned. “He’s been on the go a long time but he really should have won long ago. He was a bit of a maggot starting out, but he has got things together now.”
Despite sporting blinkers there was nothing wrong with Beau Amadeus’ resolution under a strong drive as he came through to beat Srucahan by a couple of lengths.
The defection of Manieree from the Listed Garnet Stakes due to lameness meant Handassa started favourite and Kevin Prendergast’s filly didn’t disappoint, running out a two-length winner over Hurricane Havoc.
“She loves an ease in the ground. She ran well at Gowran last time where the ground was like the road but the official description was ‘good to yielding.’ But she’s a different animal with a dig,” Prendergast said.
“I don’t know if she will be staying in training. The boss (Sheikh Hamdan) usually sends them to stud,” he added.
Prendergast and jockey Declan McDonogh had earlier scored in the juvenile fillies maiden with Bulbul who looked an exciting prospect for 2012 when shooting clear of her rivals in the closing stages.
“She got no room on her first run at Leopardstown but has been working well since. She stretched out well to the line,” McDonogh reported afterwards while Prendergast intends starting Bulbul off as a three-year-old in a Guineas Trial.
Born To Sea is likely to be John Oxx’s number one hope for the Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown in a couple of weeks but Sambusca could also head for that Group Three prize after making a winning debut in the six-furlong maiden.
The Green Desert colt was a well-backed 7 to 4 favourite and proved too good for his market rival Hongkong Dancer.
“We’ll look at the Killavaullan although the ground might be gone for him by then. He just got away with it there in maiden company. But he’s a nice horse with a good temperament and we like him,” Oxx said.
Barry Geraghty guided the 4 to 6 hotpot Pittoni to a defeat of Donnas Palm in the conditions hurdle and the winner’s stamina at the near two-and-a-half-mile trip pleased trainer Charles Byrnes.
“We could look at something like the Hatton’s Grace,” Byrnes said.
