Saoire gives Crowley a Classic first

FRANCES CROWLEY, wife of Pat Smullen and sister-in-law of Aidan O’Brien, created history at the Curragh yesterday when becoming the first lady trainer to ever saddle the winner of an Irish classic.

Crowley, of course, is the only lady as well to ever land the amateur jockeys’ championship, doing it twice in the 90’s.

Her game-as-a-pebble Saoire, under an inspirational ride from Michael Kinane, battled on powerfully late to beat Pennkenna Princess a short head, with little or nothing covering a wall of horses in the closing stages.