Saphire Stakes 2011 at Curragh - Invincible Ash lands wins under Gary Carrol, First Irish horse to win in 4 years
Michael Halford trained, Invincible Ash, broke the norm by winning the Group Three Woodies DIY Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh on 26 June, 2011.
It’s not every day that Irish trained sprinters win on Irish soil but on 26 June, Invincible Ash made a mockery of that rarity, with the help of jockey, Garry Carroll.
Halford, who was the last Irish trainer to win the race in 2007 with Snaefell, told his jockey Gary Carroll to ride the six-year old bay mare easy in the beginning because he thought they’d go fast and blow her out of steam early.
The favourite to win the race was David Nicholls trained, Inxile, sent off at 6-to-4 odds, the six-year old bay gelding was going for his record fourth win in Ireland this year.
The pacesetting tactics of David Nicholls this time around did not go as well as he planned. Inxile got beat in the middle stage and lost all composure to challenge his rivals.
The British raider, Hamish McGonagall, looked good from the beginning and assumed the leaders position smoothly and took control of the situation.
Time Easterby’s, Hamish McGonagall, ran out of steam in the final furlong as the Invincible Spirit mare, Invincible Ash over-took him under Garry Carroll and never looked like losing from that strong position.
The 9-to-2 shot, Invincible Ash, bolted home and beat Hamish McGonagall by a length. A steady start for the Halford team paid dividends in the five furlong sprint because it gave Gary Carroll enough to assess the situation and enough time to launch an assault
on his rivals.
A great win for Invincible Ash and it was a just reward for some spectacular performances by the six-year old sprinter all season. She sits at a score of 5 wins, 2 runners-up, and, 2 third places finishes, out of 21 starts.
The hot favourite, Inxile never looked in contention though has a great record in Ireland where he won six times out of seven starts but on this particular outing never looked a force to be reckoned with.
The ground died down and increased the confidence of trainer, Halford, and, jockey Gary Carrol, who followed Halford’s instructions to perfection. He started steady like a non-tier and felt the dying ground got a good grip and sprinted when it was necessary.
It always feels good when a plan comes together like it did for Halford.
Sapphire Stakes is run at Curragh over a distance of 5 furlongs, 1,006 meters approximately. It is generally open for thoroughbreds aged 3-years old, or, above. A Group 3 flat race run in Ireland and is always scheduled to take place annually in late June,
or, early July.
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