Tag Archive for: Jancis

McCreery may be double-handed in search for second Matron win

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Unbeaten Jancis could be joined by Vespertilio as trainer Willie McCreery hunts another victory in the Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes at Leopardstown.

The handler claimed the Group One contest with Fiesolana back in 2014 and McCreery is set to put his faith in Jancis after the filly won each of her two starts, taking a maiden in June before making the leap to Group Three level the following month in the Brownstown Stakes.

With two victories at Leopardstown in the bag, McCreery has no track concerns but admits it is a huge task for Jancis at the highest level.

He said: “She seems to like Leopardstown anyway. It’s hard and a big ask for her.

“She came into her own late, she did nothing as a two-year-old and was very backward early on in the year.

“Whatever she does this season, I hope it will be a bonus for next year.”

Vespertilio has already been tried in deep company, having won the Debutante Stakes and finished second in the Moyglare last year.

She has been unable to build on a narrow third in the French 1000 Guineas, finishing down the field in the Irish version and when dropping back to seven furlongs in the Prix Jean Prat last time.

McCreery retains plenty of faith in the filly, although she is not certain to line up at this stage.

“She’ll probably run and she seems in great form,” he said at a press morning ahead of the Irish Champions Festival.

“In the last couple of weeks, she has really started to furnish again and I’m very happy with her.

“I’ll definitely leave her in until declaration stage anyway. She’ll do another piece of work next Tuesday and then we’ll make a decision on which way to go.

“If she doesn’t run, there is a race in the Curragh (Renaissance Stakes on September 29). She might run in that or we might just leave her for the year.”

McCreery has plenty of respect for his Matron rivals, not least Porta Fortuna, who was edged out in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket before going on to land both the Coronation and Falmouth Stakes.

He added: “Porta Fortuna is the standout filly, she’s an exceptional filly. Every time, she’s shown up – she’s never far away and she tries her heart out.

“In her last race, she did it totally the opposite way, from the front, and it made no difference to her. She goes on every type of ground and has danced every dance.

“You get all the best fillies in the race. I don’t know if Fallen Angel will come over on that ground, she’s a very good filly as well and you’d be worried if she did come over.

“You’d be worried about them all really, it’s a Group One, but you just have to look after your own. The two girls seem in good form and I’m looking forward to it now.”



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Jancis to make Group Three leap at Leopardstown

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Willie McCreery’s Jancis steps straight out of maiden company into the Group Three Irish Stallion Farms EBF Brownstown Stakes at Leopardstown on Thursday.

The Tamayuz filly sprouted wings in the closing stages to make a winning debut at Leopardstown in June.

Sent off at 40-1, she beat an 80-rated rival by almost three lengths, leaving McCreery keen to see how she fares against more experienced rivals, although he has little doubt she has the quality to shine in black-type company.

“She’s been very good, we’re getting a lot of rain so the ground should be perfect and it’s not a very big field, so she’ll get more experience whatever happens,” said McCreery.

“We’re looking forward to it. You don’t get many options in Ireland after winning a maiden, we don’t have novice races as such or too many races for winners. So it was this race or Killarney next week.

“She’s already run at Leopardstown, she’ll love the ground as she’s such a good mover so we’ll give it a go.

“I was a bit nervous before her debut as she can be tricky in the stalls, once she managed that I was quite happy. Turning in Billy (Lee, jockey) just said she took off and everything worked out nicely.

“She’d been working well but as she can be excitable, we’d taken our time with her and given her every chance. She’s come on from that so hopefully she runs a nice race.”

McCreery’s French 1000 Guineas third Vespertilio was back in France for the Prix Jean Prat on Sunday but ran way below form in seventh.

“She was a little bit disappointing. It’s a bit of a head scratcher. She’s not home yet and we’ll regroup and see where we go from here,” he said.

“It was a bit of a strange race but you live and learn. We’ll take a breather with her now, she won’t run for a while.”



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Mutasarref delights Lyons with Leopardstown success

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Mutasarref landed the first Group Three win of his career in the BoyleSports Ballycorus Stakes at Leopardstown.

Trained by Ger Lyons, the six-year-old has been a consistent performer throughout his career and was winning for the eighth time in all.

Three times a Listed scorer already, he has resumed this season in great form and Colin Keane was confident the whole way on the 5-4 favourite, sitting in third place.

Special Wan, having just the fourth run of her life, laid down a big challenge in the final furlong on 5lb worse terms than their last meeting, but Mutasarref just had enough in reserve.

“He’s a legend. In his own grade around here he’s brilliant,” said Lyons.

“That’s the one-two from Naas, I thought the filly was going to have him today, but he’s just a legend of a horse.

“Colin said he’s back to what he was before his little nick.

“I think that’s Eleanora’s (Kennedy, owner) 19th winner since she came to Ireland, which is fantastic in a short space of time. You can’t beat being lucky.

“Eleanora is invited over to Goodwood on Sussex Stakes day and the only race he’s qualified for is the Sussex Stakes, but I don’t think that’s the right thing to do with the horse, you’d be over facing him.

“The secret to the horse is keeping in his own company, as he tries so hard. I run the horses where it suits them and Eleanora understands that.

“We’ll pick our pots and aim for (Irish) Champions Weekend and have a good day out here.”

Lyons and Keane had already been on the mark with even-money favourite Transcending in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Fillies Maiden.

Willie McCreery’s Jancis looks a filly with a future following her startling 40-1 debut success.

Billy Lee’s mount was seemingly going nowhere with two furlongs to run and only had a couple of her 14 rivals behind her as Dermot Weld’s Ebanza cruised to the front.

However, Jancis soon engaged top gear and began to make rapid headway, looking set to hit the frame.

It got better than that, though, because as soon as she knew what she was meant to be doing she quickened again to win Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies & Mares Maiden going away by two and three-quarter lengths.

“They went very hard up front. Billy said she jumped smart but he just wanted to settle her in,” said McCreery.

“She’s a bit nervous and the whole thing about today was to get her started. The owner has been very patient with her and we wanted to get her started, give her a good day out and see where we go from there.

“She turned in and Billy said he gave her a chance and she just lengthened the whole way to the line and she loved it.

“How good the race was, I don’t know. She’s been doing that at home, but she’s just a little bit leery, she’s nervous and hasn’t got confidence in herself. That will do her the world of good, she only got one flick there.

“Nancy Sexton sent her to me. Those colours are 100 years old in Chile and it’s the first time they’ve been seen here in Ireland so it’s a great pleasure to train a winner first time out for Arturo (Cousino).

“Hopefully it’s onwards and upwards with her.”



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