A Blissful beginning for Ballydoyle followers

Blissful (13/2) got up on the line to thwart long-time leader Nurse Barbara (7/2) by a nose in the opener at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend, the Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes.

The winning daughter of Galileo, and a full-sister to the likes of Gustav Klimt and Wonderfully, had broken her maiden at the fourth time of asking on her previous start at Tipperary, and here Ryan Moore’s mount wore down the second inside the final furlong after Ger Lyons’ filly had kicked clear early in the straight. Pronouncement (11/2) was a further three quarters of a length away in third, with the 3/1 favourite Raven’s Cry finishing in seventh place.

“We're delighted with her. She's a filly that just took a little bit of time to come,” said the winning trainer Aidan O'Brien.

“Donnacha was very happy with her the last day. Ryan hadn't ridden her in a while, he was delighted with her and thought she had progressed a lot since he rode her.

“She's a filly that will stay further and will have no problem stepping up to a mile.

“It can be an advantage to get beat first or second time because with those kind of fillies if you step them into too good of a race before they are ready for it it might stop the progression.

“She has developed a lovely mind, she's gone very relaxed and hopefully there is plenty to come.

“Colin's filly kicked off the bend and you'd think she was gone because that filly won very impressively in Cork on her first run, we knew she was the danger.

“Our filly probably learned a lot today because she had to go and run after Colin's filly and had to fight at the end.

“She's very relaxed after and was in no way upset. I'd say she'd have no problem going into a Group race next and probably will end up getting a mile very well this year.

“The Fillies Mile could be a possibility for her.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson