CURRAGH REPORT:CHELTENHAM AND Punchestown might be her priority, but flat racing's HQ at the Curragh is turning into a profitable sideline for Jessica Harrington, whose Jumbajukiba sprang a 12 to 1 surprise in yesterday's feature.
Jumbajukiba made all the running in the Group Three Castlemartin Gladness Stakes to beat English raider Major Cadeaux comfortably, with odds-on favourite US Ranger only third.
Jumbajukiba was adding to a previous Group Three win at the Curragh in last September's Solonaway Stakes, while Curtain Call was a Group Two winner for Harrington in October's Beresford Stakes. Jazz Princess was also a Group Three winner for the trainer in 2004's Park Stakes.
"It's becoming a lucky place!" grinned Harrington. "He was very fresh and we know he gets a mile, so Fran kicked on. He likes a dig in the ground so we will keep going until it firms up and come back in the autumn."
US Ranger was in trouble soon after half-way, and Aidan O'Brien said: "We had been looking at the Lockinge for him, but Johnny (Murtagh) said he got tired at half-way. The ground is very bad. No horse would like it."
But Georgebernardshaw appeared to thrive in the conditions with a seven-length success in the Listed Loughbrown Stakes.
"Johnny thinks he will get a mile, even though he's a very pacey horse. The Guineas options in England, France and Ireland are open to him," O'Brien said.
Georgebernardshaw was the first leg of a double for Murtagh, completed by Rinroe in the last. But he had earlier endured a run of four losing favourites, including the one-time Derby favourite Macarthur beating only one home in the Ascon Rohcon Alleged Stakes won by Red Moloney.
The winner was described as a "home-bird" by trainer Kevin Prendergast after a disappointing raid on Lingfield's Winter Derby last month, and he added: "There are plenty of options for older horses here now so we won't have to travel too far."
Murtagh's mount Nortburn finished well behind the 33 to 1 shot Tyrur Ted in the sprint handicap, which was a boost for the winner's local trainer John Quinn.
He is awaiting an appeal hearing at the Turf Club into the four-month licence suspension he received from the regulatory body in February for running a horse that was stabled inside a restricted area during the 2006 swamp fever outbreak.
Kevin Prendergast and Declan McDonogh had earlier won their first two-year-old race of the season when newcomer Alhaban won impressively by three-and-a- half lengths.
"He's a good sort who will like better ground and six furlongs," summed up the veteran trainer.
Kevin Manning had a scare in the stalls in this race when his mount, Mister Frosty, got upset and had to be withdrawn.
Manning looked to take a knock to his ankle, but half an hour later he got Angels Story home in front in the 10-furlong maiden.
