Darkest off the mark after long wait

At the tenth time of asking Ballydoyle’s Darkest (7s into 9/2) got off the mark in the Garryowen (Fillies) Maiden at Limerick.

Last month Seamie Heffernan excelled to get a previously long-standing Aidan O’Brien maiden filly, So Wonderful, to win a Listed event at Killarney.

Here Heffernan was also deft in his approach on Darkest, soon to the fore on the three-year-old.

He was after her at stages though, but once the momentum was up two furlongs out the Ballydoyle number one wasn’t taking no for an answer, going on in the final furlong to beat Pachmena and Soineanta by two lengths and half a length.

"She sparked up on her last couple of runs and we hoped she'd handle the ground. She did and we're happy with her,” said Heffernan.

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined Gulf Of Aidan trained by K.J. Condon, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be post race normal.

(TW & EM)