Lovelier sheds her maiden status with late dash for listed success

Lovelier was the only maiden in the listed Cairn Rouge stakes, but Aidan O’Brien’s filly is a maiden no more as she shed that status with a late dash to glory in the feature at Killarney, where Fozzy Stack continued his brilliant run with an early double, and Joseph O’Brien also added two more to his tally.

Well-backed favourite Celestial Object was to the fore from the outset in the big race and made a bold bid to fend off her rivals in the straight. The winner did not look an obvious contender when coming under pressure early in the straight, but she picked up really well under Wayne Lordan to collar the long-time leader in the las half furlong.