IT has already been a highly industrious season for Willie McCreery at pattern level and he secured his third group race success of the campaign when Epona Plays ran her rivals ragged in the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes to take centre stage in a Billy Lee treble.

After securing the first pattern race of the season in the Park Express Stakes at Naas in late March, Epona Plays was kept under wraps for this assignment and she turned out better than ever for this mile event.

In a similar vein to the 2000 Guineas, Billy Lee dictated a pace to sit himself on the Renzo Forni-owned and bred daughter of Australia and from some way out Epona Plays could be called the winner. The 9/2 chance maintained a strong gallop all the way to the line to finish four lengths clear of Soul Search.

“It’s a tough mile out there today but I could see from halfway that she was in a lovely rhythm for Billy and it looked a race where there wasn’t going to be much pace so we were happy to go on if nothing else did,” stated McCreery who won this race with Devonshire back in 2016.

“She’s a lovely filly who is getting better all the time and now she has won a Group 3 and a Group 2 on her first two runs of the season we’ll have a think about where she goes now.”

Off the mark

After shaping with lots of promise when third on his debut at Naas a fortnight ago, the Paddy Twomey-owned and trained Pinar Del Rio (2/1) got off the mark in likeable fashion in the six-furlong Tally Ho Stud Irish EBF (C&G) Maiden to kick off the Lee treble.

Over the last quarter of a mile the winner and Thunder Eclipse went toe-to-toe but the Havana Gold colt was just that bit stronger in the closing stages and carried the day by a length and a quarter.

“He’s an uncomplicated colt who had a lovely first run and I was hoping he might do something like that although this is not his ground, he wants it much better,” declared Twomey.

“He’ll have to step-up in class now and whether that’s here or in the UK we’ll see. He’ll get further too.”

Blazing

Michael Grassick’s Verhoyen (12/1) brought up the treble in the €40,000 Betway Handicap over six furlongs. The former Scurry Handicap winner had shaped up nicely on his return at Naas a couple of weeks ago and turned up in peak form here with a trail-blazing success which ensured that none of his 21 rivals ever got into the race.

At the line, an unchallenged Verhoyen, who carries the colours of Paul Cullen, defeated Pretty Boy Floyd by just under three lengths.

“I’d say the draw made a big difference as he was on a fresh strip of ground,” observed the trainer. “He’s a great character and we bring him to the beach in Donabate which he seems to love. Hopefully he’ll be back here for the Scurry Handicap on Oaks weekend and then the Bold Lad on Irish Champions Weekend.”

Gustavus keeps Murphy on a roll

JOE Murphy may have endured a trying time of things in 2020 but a new season has brought about a terrific revival in fortunes for the Tipperary trainer whose impressive campaign reached a new high with Gustavus Weston in the Weatherbys Ireland Greenlands Stakes.

This Group 2 success, which is the biggest in the career of the canny Murphy, was achieved in fine style by the Alfred Sweetnam-owned five-year-old as he bounced back to the level of form that carried him to a Group 3 triumph over this course and distance two years ago.

After beginning his season with three respectable runs, Gustavus Weston took his form to an entirely different level on the soft ground that he relishes.

Gary Carroll was forced to challenge out in the middle of the track on the 14/1 chance but this mattered little.

A determined Gustavus Weston launched a sustained charge to head Make A Challenge inside the last furlong and he pulled off a famous victory by three-quarters of a length.

Sonaiyla caught the eye on her comeback with a fine third placed effort.

“This was his Derby. This was the race we had targeted with him since Christmas. I’d have been delighted with a place but we might have to revise plans now,” stated Murphy.

“He likes an ease in the ground so later in the year we might look at the big sprints like the Flying Five back here or the race at Ascot in October.”

Belief

Johnny Murtagh’s Matron Stakes heroine Champers Elysees had to settle for fourth behind Epona Plays but the trainer enjoyed better luck with Create Belief (7/2) in the following contest as the useful daughter of Awtaad picked up the Betway Spring Fillies Handicap.

Ben Coen produced the Racehorse Club-owned filly to lead nearing the last furlong and she sustained her effort to defeat Holly Golightly by a length.

“She ran well in the Salsabil at Navan but just didn’t stay the 10 furlongs and today coming back in trip and soft ground brought out the best in her. Hopefully she’ll get blacktype later in the year,” commented Murtagh.

The trainer also reflected on the efforts of Champers Elysees: “She just tired in the last half a furlong. She’s just not there yet I don’t think. The weather’s not kind at the moment and she likes the field and she hasn’t been out in the field yet.

“I think there is more to come and her best performance last year was on fast ground.”