Soul City Primed For Guineas Run

The Parknasilla Hotel Goffs Million raceday at the Curragh on Sunday belonged solely to Richard Hannon who utterly dominated proceedings by winning both the colts and fillies races.

In the space of an hour and a half Hannon picked up in excess of two million euros in prize money which remarkably elevated him to third in the Irish trainers’ championship.

It has been an amazing year for Hannon’s juvenile team and the trainer certainly produced his raiding party in the form of their lives for their Curragh assignments.

After winning a French Group 3 last time out, Soul City looked one of the leading contenders for the colts Million and he duly justified his position as the market leader with a superb front-running performance that saw him fend off Gan Amhras by half a length. He could well win another good prize if turned out again this year and it wouldn’t come as any surprise to see him show up well in one of the three main Guineas next May.

The runner-up turned in a fine effort on just his third start and his first since winning a Naas maiden in July. He stayed on in very pleasing style over the final quarter of a mile and can be rated a good middle-distance prospect for Jim Bolger.

In the Fillies Million, Minor Vamp struck for the Hannon team as she defeated stablemate Baileys Cacao. Her victory was a further boost to Rainbow View who had her back in third when winning a Newmarket Group 3 in August. Minor Vamp, a daughter of the brilliant Hawk Wing, did very well to win from a potentially-costly outside draw. She can make her mark at Stakes level.

Among those that caught the eye behind her was the third-placed Samba School who hadn’t run since finishing down the field in a Curragh maiden in July. The Kevin Prendergast-trained inmate is an interesting prospect and it won’t come as any surprise to see her improve her handler’s already-excellent record with the progeny of Sahm.

Earlier on the card at the Curragh John Oxx’s Sea The Stars cemented his position as a juvenile of some promise with a half-length victory over stablemater Mourayan in the Beresford Stakes.

The half-brother to Galileo showed good improvement from his maiden win at Leopardstown to take this prize. Interestingly his trainer believes that he will be better on quicker ground and it is not hard to envisage the Cape Cross colt making sustained progress through the ranks next season.

While his victory earned Sea The Stars a flurry of quotes for the Epsom Derby Oxx did indicate that he could start out over a mile next spring. He is a bright prospect and it is worth noting the trainer’s last two winners of this race – Azamour and Alamshar – both made up into top-drawer three-year-olds. The likeable and very genuine Mourayan could yet put the form to the test in the Racing Post Trophy.

Also on the juvenile front David Wachman once again showed the strength of his hand in the juvenile fillies division as he sent out Chintz to record a clear cut success in the Group 3 C L Weld Park Stakes.

Off the track since July, the Danehill Dancer filly had her rivals in trouble when she struck the front around a quarter of a mile from home. She galloped on strongly to the line to account for the English raider and May Hill Stakes third Lahaleeb. Chintz has the makings of a fine middle-distance filly for 2009.

Dermot Weld landed the Irish Cesarewitch with the teak-tough three-year-old Suailce whose winning effort indicated that she could develop into quite a decent stayer next term while the Rosewell House trainer’s smart sprinter Le Cadre Noir won his first race since arriving in Ireland as he outpointed a field headed by Benbaun in the Testimonial Stakes.

Elsewhere Ger Lyons’ best-ever season continued apace as Pasar Silbano landed the 100,000 euro Goffs Sportsman’s Challenge.

While he had to settle for second and third in the Goffs (C&G) Million, Jim Bolger enjoyed an excellent Saturday at Gowran when he notched up a treble that was headed by the victory of Shreyas in the extended 1m 1f fillies Group 3.

A fine second to Unsung Heroine on her debut at Fairyhouse in July, the half-sister to Creachadoir and Youmzain was having just her fourth race in a very competitive renewal of this race and turned in a fine effort to see off She’s Our Mark an Soft Morning. She has the makings of quite a classy four-year-old.

Multiple champion National Hunt trainer Noel Meade reached a huge milestone on Saturday at Navan when he recorded the 2000th victory of his career as Rinroe landed the beginners’ chase.

Meade also unveiled quite a useful looking bumper horse in Donnas Palm who made short work of his rivals to make a winning debut. The third-placed Stakers caught the eye as he travelled through the race every bit as well as the winner. He could make his mark in this sphere before long.

Muhannak struck a blow for the English raider at Dundalk on Friday when he outpointed the consistent Mr Medici in the Listed Diamond Stakes while Paddy The Pro produced quite a taking effort to make short work of his rivals in the valuable six-furlong nursery. He can hold his own in better company.