JOHNNY Murtagh could have quite a smart filly on his hands in Miss Mirabell who turned in a display in keeping with her position as the evens favourite to dominate the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over a mile.

The Jacqueline Norris-owned homebred shaped up well here last month when fifth over this course and distance and she progressed nicely from that to win with authority. Ben Coen set off in front on the daughter of Footstepsinthesand and Miss Mirabell had this race in safe-keeping once she shook off Shamiyana with well over a furlong to run. Miss Mirabell then kept up a strong gallop to the line to finish with five lengths to spare.

Working nicely

“I was happy with her run the last day when she had a bad draw and she was green. She’s been working nicely since then and that was a pretty good performance. There are some nice fillies’ handicaps coming up so we’ll see what sort of mark she gets,” said Murtagh.

The trainer then made it a double with New York Angel in the featured Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap over a mile.

Once again out in front was the place to be as Danny Sheehy made all on this Mark Dobbin-owned daughter of Zoffany who certainly deserved to win a race having started her career with a second to the Irish 1000 Guineas winner Empress Josephine at Naas in March 2021. Throughout the last quarter of a mile the 13/2 chance kept the chasing Needle Lace at bay to prevail by a length and three-parts, thus getting off the mark at the seventh attempt.

“I was getting a little bit frustrated with her because she always works well at home. She’s a big girl and she’s probably getting fitter with each run. We’ll keep at her and hopefully she’ll be able to win again. She always promised to do something like this,” commented the trainer.

Coen double

Ben Coen went on to bring up a double of his own on Tony Martin’s Unanswered (11/2) in the 47-70 rated mile-and-three-quarter handicap where the gelding defied a 9lb hike for scoring at Limerick last month.

The John Breslin-owned five-year-old looked to be toiling badly in midfield before the straight. He picked up to good effect in the straight though, and got on top early in the last furlong to defeat the staying on Harry’s Legacy by two and a quarter lengths.

“He’s just a stayer. They went a good gallop and the race fell apart at the furlong pole. They were all stopping and he kept going,” surmised Tony Martin.

Blinkers work the oracle on Beach

THE 90-rated Warren Beach availed of a good opportunity to justify 15/8 favouritism in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden over seven furlongs.

Fresh from a third to Inchturk at this track a week previously the Roving Swan Partnership-owned son of Aclaim was fitted with first-time blinkers and produced a commanding effort. Billy Lee got his mount to the front in the relatively early stages and Warren Beach was in full control when he shook off the chasing Dabana approaching the last quarter of a mile. At the line Warren Beach had three lengths to spare over the newcomer Lecale’s Destiny.

“When Billy rode him last week he was adamant that there was more in him. It was his call to put the blinkers on and he was spot on,” stated Condon who is eyeing a conditions race next.

After enduring a desperately unlucky defeat in a Sligo maiden at the start of the month Lady Arwen (6/1) gained compensation in the seven-furlong three-year-old handicap on her first venture outside of maiden company. James Barrett’s charge was burdened with a stall 19 draw but that mattered little as she responded well to Luke McAteer’s urgings to lead well over a furlong out before defeating the favourite Eighty Eight by three parts of a length.

The From Clare To Here Partnership-owned winner appeals as one that can add to her tally in the coming weeks and this was only the fourth outing of her career.

“She looked unlucky not to win at Sligo and she was a filly I always thought could win a maiden. I think she could make up into a nice filly in time and possibly she might be a Lincoln type filly for next season,” declared Barrett.

Oasis blooms once more for Feane

ON a day when front-runners excelled, Urban Oasis confirmed himself a three-year-old on the up as he managed to come from off the pace and yet still win the three-year-old extended nine-furlong handicap with plenty to spare.

The way the day had unfolded it looked as though Jamie Powell’s mount, a winner here a week previously, had plenty to do turning for home. He soon began to make good progress against the far rail and then stormed clear of his rivals over the last furlong to score by five and a half lengths. Johnny Feane trains the improving son of Fast Company for Reggie Roberts.

Earlier the Ado McGuinness-trained Alhaajeb (20/1) secured the first division of the 47-65 rated handicap over an extended nine furlongs by making all. Ronan Whelan was on board the Edward Battersby-owned gelding who got home by a length and a half from Five Zeros to add this race to the Dundalk handicap success he recorded in January.

“He’s going to make a cracking hurdler and he will be for sale. He’s a real fun horse and he has improved plenty. Ronan was class on him too,” commented the trainer.

Lynch winner

Leabaland (28/1) didn’t quite make all in the other division of that race but he was showing in front from well before halfway and made the best of his way home thereafter to give trainer Martin Lynch a first winner in six years following his recent renewal of his licence.

The strapping five-year-old maintained an unfaltering gallop in the straight for Seamie Heffernan to last home by half a length from the strong finishing favourite Black Hawk Eagle.

“This horse is 17.2 hands and I must say well done to Michael Halford for getting him to win twice with him at three,” reflected Lynch who trains the winner for Trevor Myles. “He lost his way and came to me. He has ability but you have to be very positive on him and Seamie rode him very well.”