THE teak-tough Epona Plays bagged the first pattern race of the domestic season as a display of considerable courage and determination enabled Willie McCreery’s charge to carry the day in the Group 3 Lodge Park Stud Irish EBF Park Express Stakes.

As a four-year-old the Renzo Forni-owned daughter of Australia had to give away a considerable amount of weight to the classic generation and she was also lumbered with a Group 3 penalty with left her carrying 10st 2lb. However, her ability to cope with the testing ground stood to her and she was not found wanting when it mattered.

Wayne Lordan, who won three of the first 10 editions of this race but hadn’t ridden the winner since 2012, took the mount on Epona Plays and had her looking on from second as Parent’s Prayer cut out the running. This pair continued to fill the first two placings entering the last quarter of a mile but steadily and inexorably Epona Plays (12/1) gained the upper hand to defeat Parent’s Prayer by one and three-quarter lengths, with Sziget running a huge race to lie a further two lengths away in third.

Brave effort

“She’s very tough and I thought that was a really brave effort giving away all the weight. She’s the third filly out of the mare to get blacktype and it’s just such a pity her owner, Renzo Forni, can’t be here. He’s a lovely man and loves his racing,” reflected McCreery. “I’m delighted to give Wayne a winner as we go back a long way and he’s given her a great ride. We might look at a Group 2 for her at the Curragh on Guineas Weekend.”

The card concluded with a splendid weight-carrying effort from the Gladness Stakes-bound Wonder Elzaam (5/1) in the Cappella Sansevero At Compas Stallions Handicap. Niall Egan’s charge had to carry a welter burden 10st 9lb but this was partly negated by Luke McAteer’s 5lb claim and the top-weight continued his impressive progression.

A fourth in a listed race last season saw this gelding’s rating jump from 72 to 92 but he has coped admirably well with his revised mark and he has a good prize in him this season. Wonder Elzaam showed a fine attitude from the turn-in to get home by a neck from Silver Service.

“He’s just a good horse who goes on any ground and mentally he has grown up a lot since last year,” reported Egan who trains the winner for Ms A. Li.

Surprise wins

Chris Hayes continued his bright start to the season on Mick Mulvany’s Zegos Surprise (12/1) in the Far Above At Compas Stallions Handicap over five furlongs.

The Get Up And Go Again Syndicate-owned filly didn’t show much in three Dundalk maidens earlier this year but she was a different proposition in this three-year-old-only affair.

Zegos Surprise came with a strong surge to lead inside the last furlong and defeat Ablah by a length and a half. Another three-year-old handicap at Gowran Park next week is on the cards for the winner.

BROOME, who was involved in that five- way photo for the 2019 Derby at Epsom, bounced back from a truncated four-year-old season in the Listed Plusvital Devoy Stakes over 10 furlongs to head a treble for Aidan O’Brien and Seamie Heffernan.

The former Derrinstown Derby Trial winner wasn’t at his best in two runs last season but this was much more like it.

After taking up a prominent position, the 7/2 chance struck for home just inside the last quarter of a mile and he kept on strongly to defeat Sunchart by three and a half lengths. The son of Australia carries the colours of Japanese owner Masaaki Matsushima.

“We’ve had a good run with him through the winter and early spring. We’ll look the Alleged Stakes (April 17th at the Curragh) for him,” declared O’Brien.

The Ballydoyle trainer’s first two-year-old winner of the season arrived in style as Tenebrism impressed in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. A notable initial winner for her freshman sire, Caravaggio, this daughter of the dual Group 1-winning filly Immortal Verse could have quite a future.

The 7/2 favourite was last at halfway but when Heffernan brought her to the outside of the field she produced a telling response. She stormed down the outside to take control in the last furlong and win by an eased-down three and three-quarter lengths from Gaire Os Ard.

“She’s been a natural from day one and like her father she is able to quicken very well. She’s smart,” remarked O’Brien.

Minding’s sister

The newcomer Empress Josephine, a sister to the brilliant Minding, completed the treble in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over a mile. The 3/1 shot had to bide her time to get a run but she got fully into the clear and picked up well to surge past the 95-rated Ahandfulofsummers.

She reached the line a length and a quarter ahead of fellow newcomer New York Angel whose jockey Ben Coen picked up a one-day whip ban.

“We didn’t get to run her last season and she will be able to go further. We will be looking at a Guineas trial for her,” commented O’Brien.

A CRACKING finish to the Kuroshio At Compas Stallions Maiden went to Ger Lyons and Colin Keane as Watercolormemories (100/30) edged out Notoriously Risky (11/4) on the line. The latter made a bold bid from the front and knuckled down splendidly under pressure but she couldn’t fend off the equally game Watercolormemories who edged the bobbing finish by a flared nostril.

“Her owner John Kalmanson is South Africa-based and he’s been very patient. The owner’s aim is to breed from their stock in South Africa and hopefully they’ll have plenty of fun with this filly before she heads out there. She handled the ground well,” said Shane Lyons.

Another tight finale provided Dermot Weld with his first winner of the season as Zig Zag Zyggy struck at 18/1 in the Smooth Daddy At Compas Stallions Handicap over just short of six furlongs.

A five-time winner for various trainers and owned by Jimmy Long’s Thistle Bloodstock, both the winner and Fastar had to bide their time to get a run but both got the same opening entering the last furlong and picked up well to move clear of the field before Kevin Manning’s mount edged out his aforementioned rival by a neck.

“He’ll go for more of the same and it’s great for the owner who is a great supporter of racing,” remarked Weld.