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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Queen Catrine regal in Fairyhouse

Sun 10th Jul 2016, 16:32

Queen Catrine, left, beats Most Beautiful at FairyhouseQueen Catrine, left, beats Most Beautiful at Fairyhouse
© Photo Healy Racing

Queen Catrine came out on the right side of a battle with Most Beautiful to land the Group Three Brownstown Stakes for Ger Lyons, Gary Carroll and Qatar Racing.

This gave Lyons a double on the card as he also took the opener with Noivado

The unbeaten Raymonda was sent off the 4/5 favourite but could make no impression in the final quarter of a mile in this seven-furlong contest and came in fourth.

It was Queen Catrine (14/1) and Most Beautiful (8/1) who settled down to fight out the spoils in the final furlong.

Queen Catrine, on the rail, prevailed by a head from Most Beautiful.

Ger Lyons said: "Good strong ride from Gary (Carroll). We were talking beforehand and we discussed it plenty yesterday, we both said we have the two best fillies in the race if they just if they come to what we are seeing at home. In fairness they probably haven't had their ground all summer.

"I just said to the both lads 'what do you want to do?' We were nearly going to jump and run with Ainippe and then we switched back at the last minute when Gary said he would motorbike her (Queen Catrine) as she had the best draw. I said to them both to commit 100 per cent to whatever they were going to do and go down on your sword.

"I'd say we will stop with Ainippe once we discuss it with the Sheikh. She just looks like she is not in love with the game anymore.

"It's nice, we have won a Listed with this filly (Queen Catrine) and she has been working every bit as good as Ainippe at home. To win a Group Three with her now is very important."

Lyons won this last year with Ainippe.

About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.