Nobility makes pleasing debut

THE word was out that Sheikh Mohammed's newcomer Nobility was something special. He could well be. The John Oxx-trained newcomer quickened impressively from under two furlongs out to leave his rivals trailing as he won the Knockaney Maiden, eased down, by five and a half lengths at Tipperary yesterday.

Showing no signs of greenness at any stage of the race, Nobility bounced out of the stalls but soon settled into third for John Murtagh. Poised on the outside on entering the home turn the winner responded instantly shortly after straightening and away he went. Runner-up Sadlers Home, a Jim Bolger-trained debutante, is likely to improve and frank the form.

John Oxx, clearly pleased, has nominated the Tyros Stakes and the National Stakes as the winner's remaining two-year-old objectives.

The Aer Rianta Shannon Handicap Chase, won for the past two years by the subsequent Galway Plate winners Feathered Gale and Life Of A Lord, was anything but a trial on this occasion.

Top weight Anabatic, who unseated his rider at the last fence at Killarney on Tuesday, contrived to do the same at the first, while seconds later Born Vacation lost his legs on the bend, rendered greasy by rain.

An Maineach appeared to be only cantering when slipping on taking off at a fence on the far side of the course, leaving the Killarney winner, Nobodys Son, in command.

The grey jumped the last ahead but was collared by the Anthony Powell-partnered Open Market, who went on to score by two lengths. The Dermot Weld-trained winner has plenty of flat racing experience and he will take his chance in the Plate along with stable-companion Blazing Spectacle, who won at Killarney last week. Open Market will be ridden by Norman Williamson and Blazing Spectacle by Adrian Maguire.

Crossfarnogue, off the track since winning at Tralee in August, enhanced his Galway Hurdle prospects with a comfortable success in the Aer Rianta Shannon Catering Handicap Hurdle.