Bossy Park (left) is ridden out by Jamie Powell to beat Spirit Genie and Shane Foley© Photo Healy Racing
Bossy Parker followed-up on a recent Curragh win as he took the feature at Cork this evening, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Premier Nursery Handicap.
The Johnny Murtagh trained gelding failed to make a significant impact on his first three starts before making the breakthrough at the Curragh.
Sent off a 7/2 chance today, the son of Kodiac was settled in fourth by Jamie Powell and was briefly short of room from the two-furlong pole.
Soon switched to the inner and ridden to challenge, he edged to the front inside the final 150 yards, going on to prevail by half-a-length in the colours of Mark Dobbin, despite drifting left in the closing stages. Spirit Genie (6/4f), who was carried left by the winner, had to settle for second under Shane Foley for Jessica Harrington, while Goa Gajah (11/5) was a further five lengths back in third.
A stewards enquiry took place but the result remained unaltered.
"He was plenty raw and just started to lug left when he hit the front. I think he was well on top and the right horse won," Powell said.
"When he got there he just ran around a bit. He did it the last day and when the horse came to him he went again. He's plenty green but he'll improve.
"I think I've done everything I could to keep him straight. He just had a look at the chute and hopefully he'll keep the race.
"He'll come on again, that's probably the best way to ride him as the last day he was a bit keen with me, we didn't plan to make the running but just ended up there.
"We got him in behind and he settled lovely today. I didn't want to get there too soon as I had it in the back of my head that he was going to be a bit green. He's won well in the end.
"It was never a doubt that he was going to handle the ground, it's probably not his ideal conditions, but I thought he was always going to get through it."
STEWARDS REPORTS
The Stewards enquired into possible interference inside the final furlong involving Goa Gajah (USA), ridden by M.P. Sheehy, placed third, Spirit Genie, ridden by S. Foley, placed second, and Bossy Parker, ridden by J.A. Powell, placed first, where it appeared Spirit Genie was carried left by Bossy Parker. Evidence was heard from the riders concerned. M.P. Sheehy stated that he had to take a check when Bossy Parker crossed in front of him. S. Foley stated that his mount got carried left and suffered intimidation which in his opinion may have cost him the winning of the race. J.A. Powell stated that his mount was hanging left and he tried correcting him first with the whip before putting it down and correcting with his reins but in his opinion he did not improve his finishing position as a result of the interference. Having viewed the recording of the race and considered the evidence, the Stewards made no alteration to the judge’s placings and took no further action..
M.P. Sheehy, rider of Goa Gajah (USA) trained by Joseph Patrick O'Brien, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that he had to take a check a furlong and a half down.
S. Foley, rider of Spirit Genie trained by Mrs John Harrington, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount got carried left and got intimidated inside the final furlong.
J.A. Powell, rider of Bossy Parker trained by J.P. Murtagh, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount hung left under pressure.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
