Wonderfully makes winning debut
Friendless in the market (drifted from 9/4 to 7/2), the Aidan O’Brien-trained filly came from off a strong pace, set by Miss Mousey, to catch the flattering Colour Blue in the dying strides and then hold the late flourish of Queen Of Power by a short -head.
Wonderfully, which overcame a high draw and her inexperience, was ridden by Joseph O’Brien, who explained: “They went very quick and my filly was very green in the first 100 yards – she took a while to get going. But she has plenty of boot and travelled real well through the race. She’s a lovely filly and should keep improving with racing.”
Dermot Weld’s Sleeping Beauty, listed-placed at Navan last time, gained a valuable bracket when outpointing Pearl Turn in the Follow Us On Facebook Fillies Maiden.
A daughter of Galileo, she knuckled down well inside the final furlong to score by a length, in the colours of the trainer’s mother.
In the other maiden action, the David Wachman-trained favourite General Brook wore down Silver Lightening to land the Follow Fairyhouse On Twitter Median Auction Maiden by a neck.
David Marnane, who runs Nocturnal Affair (William Buick) in a listed event in Haydock tomorrow, will target the €100,000 Paddy Power Sprint (at the Curragh on June 29) with Harry trotter following his last-gasp victory in the Summer Family Day Rated Race.
Ridden by Fergal Lynch, the tough four-year-old got up on the line to beat In Salutem by a nose before a Stewards Enquiry into interference to third-placed Talitha Kum allowed the result to stand.
Michael Halford and Shane Foley continued their rich vein of form when Lily Of Kenmare, in the colours of owner-breeder Brian Gallivan, responded to strong handling inside the final furlong to catch front-running top-weight Enigma Code and triumph by a half-length.
“Shane is riding great, with great confidence,” declared Halford. “This mare has been a model of consistency and should stay a mile.”
The Charles O’Brien-trained Paynes Find, under Fran Berry, produced a workmanlike performance to land the Fairyhouse Summer Series Handicap from Municipal, prompting his trainer to state: “He’s tough and goes on that ground. A low draw is huge around here.”
20/1 shot All About Timing provided trainer Jim Gorman (without a winner since mid-March) and apprentice Derek McCormack (carried 3lb. overweight) with a welcome winner in the first division of the Ratoath Handicap while the John Larkin-trained House Limit (Ben Curtis) prevailed narrowly in a blanket-finish to the second division.
