Relaxed Rae’s Creek gets off the mark

Favourites Rae’s Creek and Massini’s Trap provided Fran Berry with a fine double at the opening stage of Ballinrobe’s two-day May meeting last night.

Trained for J P McManus by in-form Jessica Harrington, 10/11 shot Rae’s Creek travelled sweetly for most of the Ladies Day 24th June Maiden before being driven clear by Berry to beat longtime leader Dalasiri by three and a half lengths.

Berry explained: “He was entitled to win, but the key to him is getting him settled. We tried him without the hood at the Curragh last year and he bolted with me. But he was very, very relaxed today and we were always in the right place, although he was going through the motions a bit when he hit the front.