21 August 2022

Perfect News for Haggas in Naas feature

21 August 2022

Perfect News showed a great attitude and kept on strongly to land the Group Three Tally-Ho Stud Irish EBF Ballyogan Stakes at Naas.

The William Haggas-trained Frankel filly was sent off a 9-1 chance on the back of her runner-up effort in a six-furlong Listed race at Chantilly.

Though she found the ground plenty quick enough, Chris Hayes’ mount knuckled down to account for the unlucky-in-running Benefit by half a length. Teresa Mendoza was a neck further back in third.

Hayes said: “I spoke to Mr Haggas this morning and he said to me that the ground is what it is, she’ll handle it but she won’t be as effective as she would with an ease.

“She toughed it out well, is an improving filly and that was important black type.”

Moyglare and Fillies’ Mile entry Madly Truly (11-10 favourite) had to fight to hold the late thrust of debutant Sibyl Charm in the seven-furlong Irish EBF Median Sires Series Fillies Maiden – giving her sire Cracksman a first winner in Ireland.

The Joseph O’Brien-trained winner, who had chased home Sheyya at Leopardstown on her first start, clearly benefited from that experience and got a little lonely in front under Dylan Browne McMonagle, finding more when the runner-up came at her.

O’Brien said: “She is a strong, scopey mare and we won’t be over-racing her this year. She is certainly a filly we are looking forward to.

“I think they went a pretty good gallop and she moved up from a wide draw. She tied up a bit in the last 50 yards.

“We like her and we’ll look at something like the Listed race on Champions Weekend. We might give her more time than that.”

Dower House (100-30) got off the mark at the third attempt for Aidan O’Brien in the six-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies’ Maiden in the hands of Seamie Heffernan.

Twice beaten over seven furlongs, the drop in trip helped the daughter of Galileo, who overcame a difficult draw to score by a neck from Spirit Gal.

We’ll look to step her up next time to Stakes company maybe around Champions Weekend

O’Brien’s representative, Chris Armstrong, said: “Seamus gave her a lovely ride.

“Obviously she had two runs coming into this and is a filly that has shown plenty of pace at home. Aidan felt the drop back to just under six shouldn’t be a problem to her.

“I think she appreciated the quicker ground than what she has been on twice. She’s a filly with a lovely pedigree and is coming along with each run.

“We’ll look to step her up next time to stakes company maybe around Champions Weekend.

“She’s a sister to Churchill and a sister to Clemmie. Clemmie broke her maiden on her third run as well. She’s a nice one to look forward to.”

Winemaker made a winning debut and caused a 100-1 shock in the six-furlong Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden.

Gavin Ryan made good use of the Jimmy Coogan-trained son of Johnny Barnes to score by half a length from Mount Mary.

Coogan said: “I thought he’d run well and with a bit of luck might finish in the first three or four. I’m very happy with him. He’s shown a bit at home and has worked well.”

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