Apricot Ice making hay over six furlongs

A drop in trip to six furlongs for Apricot Ice is proving to be an inspired move as she delivered again in the Curragh.

She obliged over C&D in a fillies' maiden when making all last month and raced prominently in this handicap.

Colin Keane shook her up to lead approaching the furlong pole and the Bated Breath filly, on handicap debut, kept on well along the stands' side rail to see off a host of horses with chances.

The 10/3 favourite won by a length from Heavenly Power (15/2 from 11s) with Tai Tam Bay a neck further back in third.

Apricot Ice's first four appearances came over seven furlongs or an extended seven and she banked three runner-up cheques.

Ger Lyons said: “You can see by the size of her she's still on the leg. We ran her in a Listed race at Leopardstown last year, that's what we thought of her.

“She's only going to get better with age. She's turned a wee corner there, she won her maiden and she's backed it up today.

“I'd say we only got away with it on the ground. She's all about top of the ground and, if the race was in two races time, I'd say we would have been in trouble.

“Colin still maintains that she'll get seven, but we'll keep doing this with the hope that she improves as a four-year-old.

“Obviously, the aim is that they grow into black-type fillies and I'd say that will happen at four.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson