
Michael Graham
Carrigmoorna Beech sparkles in Queally's brace
Carrigmoorna Beech powers home
© Photo Healy Racing
Carrigmoorna Beech put in a very pleasing debut in the bumper at Gowran Park and brought up a double for her trainer Declan Queally.
She is a half-sister to the stable's smart Carrigmoornaspruce and went off 7/4 for this opening track assignment over two miles.
Once she took over in the straight, Queally Jnr had few concerns as she stuck to her task well to beat gambled-on Answer That (10/1 - 11/2) by a comprehensive 12 lengths.
Queally was also responsible for Rocky's Diamond the hero in the Grade 2 John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle.
Winning rider and assistant trainer Queally said: “It’s a very prestigious day and I was dreaming about having a double, but it very rarely happens.
“She has a savage pedigree and is a (half) sister to Carrigmoornaspruce (who runs in the Grade 2 mares bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival), but is a different type of mare.
“She’s a bit more of a three-miler down the road.
“She could be left off now unless it keeps raining. The Listed bumper for four-year-olds in Limerick could be a race for her.
“She was fit coming here but had only one grass gallop, so she’ll improve.”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee