A round-up of the pick of the action from Fairyhouse
Last Updated: 02/07/14 9:06pm
Tobann rewarded market support with a clear-cut success in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Brownstown Stakes.
Given a patient ride by Kevin Manning, the Jim Bolger-trained filly only had a couple behind her entering the straight, albeit with the field reasonably closely bunched.
The 3-1 chance was soon on terms with other joint-favourite Majestic Queen after that one hit the front, and asserted in the last 100 yards to secure a Group Three triumph by a length and a half.
It was particularity meritorious effort by the winner, who had been second at the Curragh on Saturday.
Bolger's travelling head lad Ger Flynn said: "Kevin was delighted with her. She's been knocking at the door and had to give a lot of weight away the last day at the Curragh.
"The trip and ground are the keys to her - seven furlongs and firm ground. She has black type now and I'm sure she'll be entered in something similar. Kevin said she handled the ground and travelled very well, he said she was very sweet today."
Bilderberg looked a filly with a future when running out a ready winner of the Eskies Live After Racing Maiden.
Seen just once as a two-year-old, when second to Sparrow at the Curragh, the Ger Lyons-trained daughter of Big Bad Bob was happy to track leader Monsieur Power, always travelling well.
Joining issue two furlongs out, Colin Keane's mount took over inside the last and came four lengths clear of market rival Monsieur Power, who found one too good for the second race running having had to play second fiddle to the impressive Cougar Mountain recently.
Lyons said of his even-money favourite: "It took a while to get her ready this year, she's been slow to come to hand but we gave her the time as we like her.
"We had her entered in the big race tonight (Brownstown) and it would have been nice to do what her sister did (Berg Bahn, winner of Brownstown in 2010), but she's time to do that next year.
"She was very green, but we couldn't have asked for an easier introduction, the experienced horse towed her into the race but she was green when she hit the front.
"We'll take baby steps with her and next year we can concentrate on the Brownstown and races like that. We know she's good enough and we'll give her her the chance to mature.
"She's very light and I had to let her come to me, I couldn't rush her. We did the right thing last year when she was second at the Curragh in putting her away afterwards."
Eddie Lynam's Agnes Stewart could hardly have made a better impression on her debut in the seven-furlong Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Median Auction Maiden.
A first foal of Ralph Beckett-trained mile-and-a-half winner Anice Stellato, she is bred to come into her own over middles distances as a three-year-old so connections will have been thrilled with the turn of foot the Lawman filly showed when Billy Lee extricated her from a pocket.
Cruidin had looked all over the winner but was swamped in the final 150 yards by the 22-1 winner, scoring by three and three-quarter lengths.
Lynam, who has excelled in the last couple of years with sprinters Sole Power and Slade Power and had the Queen Mary winner at Royal Ascot in Anthem Alexander, said: "She could be very good, she wasn't the easiest filly at the very start. but she always did her canters and things very nicely.
"Billy gave her a lovely ride and was impressed with her. Her dam won over a mile and a half and was a good filly, and the sire won the French Derby. She's probably in the wrong hotel the way she's bred to stay, but we'll do our best for her.
"When I was giving Billy the leg-up I told him she'd run well but would improve a ton for the run. She did run well and probably will improve a ton."