A lovely start for Queen at Naas

The beautifully bred Queen Of Sicily made a most pleasing start when landing the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Fillies Maiden - a Plus 10 Race - under Kevin Manning at Naas.

A daughter of Cape Cross out of a Queen Mary winner in Jealous Again, Queen Of Sicily is owned by Godolphin and she was well-touted prior to this six furlong event, going off the 11/10 favourite.

Outsider Lass Vega went off at a serious rate of knots here on debut but she had no more to give from over a furlong out.

Queen Of Sicily kept on well inside the final furlong to keep Twin Falls at bay by two and three parts of a length.

Winning trainer Jim Bolger said: "She's a good type of filly. She could stay at that trip or step up, and she handled the ground well.

"She didn't work on soft ground early in the year, and has only had nice ground since she's started to work. Hopefully she will be adaptable ground wise."

The Stewards informed Kevin Prendergast, trainer that Sufoof (withdrawn), would have to be recertified before being declared to run from stalls again.

(AM & EM)