Long Lashes surprises

CURRAGH REPORT: JESSICA HARRINGTON sprang a 25 to 1 surprise when Long Lashes won the Listed Ballygallon Stud Stakes at the Curragh…

CURRAGH REPORT: JESSICA HARRINGTON sprang a 25 to 1 surprise when Long Lashes won the Listed Ballygallon Stud Stakes at the Curragh.

The only newcomer in the seven-runner field, the American-bred filly travelled beautifully throughout for Fran Berry.

Jim Bolger’s Gold Bubbles was well-fancied, but never really looked like winning, while Ger Lyons’ Elusive Galaxy ran a cracker in second, two and a half lengths adrift of the winner.

Harrington said: “We knew she was smart, but I was worried about the soft ground.

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“Fran (Berry) says we should run her in the Moyglare Stud Stakes, but she is not entered and we will now have to consider supplementing her.”

Kingsfort (100-30) defied a drift in the market to make a pleasing debut in the Kildare Village EBF Maiden, the opening race of the Irish Derby meeting.

Aidan O’Brien introduced a regally-bred newcomer in Viscount Nelson, by Giant’s Causeway and out of Imagine, but he was no match for the impressive winner.

Trained by Kevin Prendergast and ridden by Declan McDonogh, Kingsfort travelled sweetly and was not hard pushed to beat Stunning View by two lengths.

Viscount Nelson stayed on into third place, and certainly showed enough to suggest he will be winning races.

O’Brien did not have to wait long to get on the scoresheet, however, as Cabaret justified 5-4 favouritism in the Kildare Village EBF Fillies’ Maiden.

Johnny Murtagh was always prominent on the daughter of Galileo and her only serious rival was Jim Bolger’s newcomer Roan Inish.

But Cabaret showed a fine turn of foot to pull three and a half lengths clear at the line.

“Johnny did very well on her, he gave her a confident ride,” said O’Brien. “She is a hardy filly and has improved from her debut run. We will step her up in class after this.”

Tom Hogan’s Spinning Wings bolted up in the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Derby under Shane Foley. Making full use of the weight-for-age and fillies’ allowances, she streaked clear up the centre of the track to beat Strike An Ark by five and a half lengths.

“Shane gave her a great ride, he did what I told him, settling her towards the rear and coming wide for the better ground in the straight,” said Hogan.

“The better ground proved to be a huge advantage.”

AUSTRALIAN Clare Lindop doubled her British tally when scoring for compatriot Jeremy Gask aboard Medicean Man at Doncaster yesterday.

Lindop is a huge name Down Under, having partnered in excess of 600 winners, including three Group Ones, and took her British tally to two wins from three rides when landing the Simpson Millar Family Law Service Maiden Stakes on Gask’s 8-1 chance.

Lindop came close to a Doncaster double in the closing CWU Legal Services Handicap as she was beaten just a head into second by Greek import Valmari (12-1) on Nobelix.