Apr 4 2011
By Garry Owen
ST NICHOLAS ABBEY could only finish a well-beaten third behind Unaccompanied in the Listed Alleged Stakes at The Curragh.
Having his first run since losing his unbeaten record in last year’s 2000 Guineas, the Aidan O’Brientrained 4-11 favourite failed to pick-up in the final quarter-mile.
Meanwhile, Pat Smullen set sail for home on Unaccompanied and Dermot Weld’s filly, second in the Triumph Hurdle stormed clear.
She triumphed by two and a half lengths from 33-1 outsider Cilium, with St Nicholas Abbey picking up minor honours.
O’Brien was far from despondent with St Nicholas Abbey’s effort in the gruelling conditions.
The trainer said: “It was his first time back and it was just to get him started again. It was a good while since he ran and he got a bit tired in Seamus Heffernan’s hands.”
Dermot Weld was delighted with Unaccompanied, saying: “She’s a lovely, big genuine mare.
“She’ll go to Punchestown next providing the ground is not firm. She ran a super race at Cheltenham and it’s really great to win a stakes race with her.”
? Earlier Sing Softly had no problem handling the very testing conditions as she landed the Listed Loughbrown Stakes.
Colm O’Donoghue had O’Brien’s filly in second place just behind the leader Tell the Wind in the early stages.
Hitting the front a furlong and a half out, she was not hard pressed to hold Defining Year by a length with Deire Na Sli third.
O’Brien said: “I ran her today as I thought if she gets seven in that ground she’s likely to get a mile” “We’ll now look at the English or French Guineas for her. She wants good ground.”
Sing Softly was slashed to 20-1 from 50s by Victor Chandler for the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Glor Na Mara, third to Frankel in the Dewhurst Stakes, was a big disappointment, trailing in last.
? State Of Play came through his final serious piece of work with flying colours ahead of the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on Saturday.
The 11-year-old has not run since he finished third to Don’t Push It in the great race 12 months ago. He was also fourth in 2009.
Trainer Evan Williams reports his stable stalwart to be in fine shape as he attempts to make it third-time lucky in the four and a half mile marathon.
Williams said: “He did his final piece of work on Saturday and he will have a school on Monday morning but everything is good and we’re happy with him”.
“I’m not concerned about the ground at Aintree, it will be good fresh ground.”