Future looking bright for Bocca Baciata

Bocca Baciata looked a useful filly in the making as she took the feature Irish Stallion Farms EBF Salsabil Stakes at Navan.

Winner of a maiden at the same track on her final start as a juvenile, Jessie Harrington's charge was sent off the 5-2 joint-favourite for the Listed contest and travelled supremely well into contention as Fran Berry brought her up from the rear.

Pleascach hit the front briefly, but Bocca Baciata was clearly going best and she put the race to bed when urged into the lead going to the furlong pole, lengthening away to score by a length and a half, with market rival Diamondsandrubies third.

Harrington said: “She’s been pleasing me at home this spring. It’s amazing she did as much as a two-year-old as she did.

“She may come back in trip for the Irish Guineas, as she’s not a slow filly. Fran said she was getting a little bit tired in the last 50 yards but she was entitled to on her first run of the year.

“She seems to go on any ground, and is a lovely filly.”

John Oxx’s newcomer In My Pocket (8-1) quickened up well from the furlong pole when asked by Declan McDonogh and took the Kilberry (C&G) Maiden by two and a quarter lengths from the O’Brien-trained favourite Cenotaph.

Oxx said: “He’s always been a nice horse at home. He’s not too big, but is a good sort. I’m not surprised he’s won first time out, although Declan said he was a bit green.

“He’s a well-bred colt being a half-brother to two Group Two winners. It’s hard to know where we will go next. I doubt if he’ll go back in trip for the Tetrarch and he may go 10 furlongs in time.”