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Donal Murphy

Donal Murphy

Lyons & Keane take the opener with Velveteen

Sun 17th Jul 2016, 14:32

Velveteen is pushed out by Colin KeaneVelveteen is pushed out by Colin Keane
© Photo Healy Racing

Velveteen followed-up on her encouraging debut performance at Naas, as she took the opener at the Curragh, the QIPCO EBF Fillies Maiden.

The Ger Lyons trained daughter of Exceed And Excel finished sixth to Roly Poly at Naas, and had subsequent Royal Ascot winner Brave Anna behind her in eighth.

Having opened at 6/1 on-course today, the Qatar Racing Limited owned bay came in for some market support, going off a 9/2 chance.

Prominent throughout under Colin Keane, she was ridden and held a definite advantage with less than two furlongs to race. She was kept up to her work inside the final furlong, coming home with half a length to spare

The 4/1 favourite Hunaina finished second under Shane Foley for Mick Halford, while Mur Hiba who was 66/1 last night and returned at 9's, was a head back in third under Kevin Manning for Michael O'Callaghan.

Ger Lyons said afterwards: "She's a nice little filly and we have been waiting on the ground. It's nice to win and also with Sheikh Fahad (of Qatar Racing Limited) sponsoring the race.

"Every time we had her ready the ground was soft, and even yesterday it would not have suited. There is very little of her, and it was a brave performance from a bad draw (stall one).

"We will try to get a stakes race for her, and I don't imagine we will be looking at her as a three-year-old."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee

1st
9/2
Tote €6.30 €2.10
2nd
0.5L
4/1Fav
€1.40
3rd
hd
9/1
€2.80
4th
1.25L
16/1
About Donal Murphy
Donal graduated from Maynooth University in 2010 with a BBS in Equine Business and since attained a diploma in Sports Journalism from Dublin Business School. He holds a variety of roles in the horse racing industry, reporting for the Press Association and p2p.ie, while also working for SIS and the Tote. From Wexford, he is a keen runner and has completed over 100 parkruns at various locations around the country.