Donal Murphy
Beautiful double for Donnacha O'Brien
Simply Beautiful is ridden out by Donnacha O'Brien
© Photo Healy Racing
Donnacha O'Brien completed a first and last race double at Naas, as he partnered Simply Beautiful to victory in the concluding Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over a mile.
Placed on her last two starts, the daughter Galileo was expected to get off the mark this evening, going off the clear 9/10 favourite.
Settled in second, the Aidan O'Brien trained grey was pushed along to challenge from the two furlong pole.
She was ridden and got to the front inside the final 150 yards, keeping on well from there to prevail by a length and a half. Bellakris (9/2) kept on well to take second under Shane Foley for Jessica Harrington, while the front-running Mater Matuta (14/1) was a head back in third.
"She had good form. I think she wants further than that and wants a little bit slower ground but she was just good enough to win today,” said Donnacha O'Brien who was earlier successful on A New Dawn
"She's a grand filly. Conditions weren't with her today but she put her head down and galloped to the line."
The winner is a full-sister to Mekong River who won five times from seven starts, claiming the Group 3 Friarstown Stud International Stakes on his final outing.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson