As It Was a debut winner for Oliver & Lordan

The Andy Oliver-trained As It Was (25/1) landed the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden on debut.

The Camacho filly, who cost £8,000 as a yearling and carried bottom weight as a result, was pushed along in mid-division at halfway but picked up well when ridden two furlongs out.

Having been switched to the far rail, she swept to the front in the final 150 yards and, despite a bit of tail-swishing, ran on willingly to account for Blue News by a length and three quarters. The front-running favourite Polar Bear was another length and a half away in third.

Winning rider Wayne Lordan said: "I didn't know anything about her beforehand, but Andy said she was a very nice filly. He said she could be green the first half, but he said she would come home very well. She has been working nicely and he liked her.

"It was exactly what he said, I was a little bit raw early but, when I met the rising ground, she came home well. She won quite nicely at the line.

"She's a tall filly and she looks like she could do better as the year goes on. She's won well today."

Quotes from Michael Graham