Wooden Heart looks a potentially smart filly
Her trainer’s fifth winner of the race in eight years, the daughter of Montjeu whose her full-sister Silky won the race in 2013, stretched clear under Wayne Lordan to win emphatically by three lengths from Krissy’s Kisses.
Wachman commented: “She’s quite a nice filly and we’ve always liked her. She’s a big filly that should only get better. She didn’t really know what she was doing out there. She a straight-forward filly, with a good mind. That ground is as soft as she’d like and she’ll improve on a better surface. I’m not sure where she’ll go, but there are plenty of fillies races for her.”
Enterprisingly ridden by apprentice Ross Coakley, the Ado McGuinness-trained Face Value made virtually all the running to foil favourite Taglietelle and Jack Kennedy (champion pony rider, having his first ride on the track and in action in Chester today) in the featured Quirke uPVC Windows Perpetual Cup.
In front after a furlong and soon clear, the tough seven-year-old stayed on resolutely in the closing stages to triumph by a length and a quarter, to the delight of McGuinness. “He only has one gear – flat out — he can’t go fast enough and just keeps at it.”
And he explained: “Sean Gallagher) was going to take him home after Sligo on Sunday but I persuaded him to keep him in, because we didn’t make enough use of him in Sligo. He’s due a break now and we’ll get him ready for Galway – he’s won there and loves the hill.”
Brown Bee, in the colours of Qatar Racing, made all to win the West Gate Median Auction Maiden, holding the persistent challenge of the Dermot Weld-trained debutant Sight Hound by a short-head after the runner-up edged left in the straight, to leave the leading duo separated by the width of the track.
“She’s a filly with a good pedigree and it was important to get a bracket with her, so it’s job done,” stated Shane Lyons, brother and assistant to winning trainer Ger. “She shows plenty at home and loves that ground. She’ll go to the festival tracks and we’ll work our way up from there. She’ll stay further and I’d say we’ll go chasing black type later in the season.”
Pat Flynn will target the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup for Highly Toxic after the 96-rated grey justified 1/2 favouritism in the Fethard Maiden, Flynn’s first success since December. It’s only now that he’s coming into a horse. He grew too big and has taken time to fill out. He pulled muscles in Tramore last year and needed time off.”.
