Game Banimpire strikes a blow for fillies in Ballysax

BANIMPIRE became the first filly to win the Group 3 P W McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes since 1996 when turning over Ballydoyle pacemaker Regent Street and odds-on favourite Recital at Leopardstown yesterday.

Winning trained Jim Bolger, completing a double following the victory of Parish Hall - Teofilo’s first runner - in the two-year-old race will hope that the daughter of Holy Roman Emperor will progress to emulate the last two fillies to land this prestigious trial, subsequent Group 1 winners Jet Ski Lady (1991) and Key Change (1996).

Ridden by stable jockey Kevin Manning, Banimpire battled tenaciously to outpoint regent Street by a half-length, with 8/13 favourite Recital, a Group1 winner last November and considered among Aidan O’Brien’s leading Derby candidates, a length away third.