Leopardstown report: Pearls a smooth winner for Twomey
Pearls Galore and Billy Lee win the Gradguide Heritage STakes (Listed) at Leopardstown on Wednesday. Picture: Healy Racing
The Paddy Twomey-trained mare Pearls Galore, runner-up twice in Group 1 company last year, lived up to her star billing when proving a smooth winner of the listed Gradguide Heritage Stakes on Student Raceday in Leopardstown.
Backed into 4/5 favouritism, in the absence of Irish Lincoln winner Raadobarg, the five-year-old brushed past front running Pretreville at the furlong-pole and stretched away in the last hundred yards to score by two and a half lengths.
And a delighted Twomey explained, “I convinced the owner that this was an ideal ‘prep’ race for her. She was just ready to start and will improve for the run.
‘The aim is to win a Group 1 with her, but I’m aware that she’s not a Group 2 winner yet. She’s in the ‘Lockinge’ (Group 1, in Newbury next month) and, while I wouldn’t rule it out, she’s unlikely to go there. Races like the ‘Ridgewood Pearl’ at the Curragh and the ‘Duke Of Cambridge’ (at Royal Ascot) would look suitable for her. And I’m sure she’ll be going back to America (for the Breeders Cup) eventually.”
The well-regarded, Joseph O’Brien-trained Above The Curve, a daughter of American Pharoah, produced an impressive display to land the ten-furlong Irish Stallion Farms Fillies Maiden, quickening well to seal victory and staying on despite showing signs of inexperience to beat Thoughts Of June by two and three-quarter lengths.
“We think a lot of her - she’s an Oaks-type filly,” declared her trainer, “She’s very big and we’ll manage her gently. We’ll take baby steps with her and might look at the ‘Blue Wind” next. A don’t think she’ll be an Epsom filly, so the Curragh (Irish Oaks) might be the better option.”
Highly-tried last year and narrowly denied at the Curragh ten days ago, The Jim Bolger-trained Boundless Ocean opened his account in the ten-furlong colts’ maiden, holding off newcomer Flying Dolphin by three-quarters of a length.
“The boss is delighted with that”, said Una Manning, “He probably needed his Curragh run. And he’ll go straight for the Irish 2,000 Guineas now.”
Aidan O’Brien dominated the one-mile fillies maiden as 94-rated Lullaby, whose four juvenile starts were in stakes company, made all under Seamus Heffernan to deny fascinating debutante stable-companion Only (Winter’s first foal) and Ryan Moore by a neck.
“We liked her last year and she had a good rating for a maiden,” commented O’Brien, “She’ll come back here for the Guineas Trial in a few weeks. And I was very happy with the second. We won’t rush – we’ll go for a maiden and she could develop into an Irish Oaks filly.”
Formerly trained by Dermot Weld, Mutasarref struck on his first start for Ger Lyons when bolting-up, under Colin Keane, in the (50-80) Leopardstown Handicap.
Sheila Lavery won the SPIN 1038 Handicap with the Robbie Colgan-ridden handicap debutante Moracana.
The day ended well for in-form trainer John McConnell, who completed a late double with 3/1 favourite Company Keeping (Declan McDonogh) in the Bulmers Live At Leopardstown Handicap and top-weight and 22/1 shot New Moon Rising, ridden by his son Cillian, who spear-headed a stable 1-2 in the finale, beating Freepark by three lengths.
