Berry gets Ballerina home but only just

Fran Berry enhanced his fine Tramore record much to the relief of short-odds backers when he got twos on shot O'Bella Ballerina home by the minimum margin in the opening Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Fillies Maiden. Silky Lady made the pace at a slow gallop and she got headed by O'Bella Ballerina under three furlongs out. However John Oxx's favourite, in first-time blinkers, was herself narrowly headed under a furlong out by Valbucca but the victorious daughter of Fusaichi Pegasus battled back to get on top again near the line.

Berry commented afterwards: "My filly won despite not liking the ground. We went slow and I probably didn't make enough use of her. She got headed by a head or a neck about a furlong out but she battled back well.

"She is a very well-bred filly so it was important to get a bracket for her."