Emily Blake gives the Hayden family Group 3 success

The five-year-old Emily Blake made most of the running in the Group 3 Athasi Stakes at the Curragh this afternoon under a perfectly timed ride by Johnny Murtagh to provide a popular local success for trainer John Hayden.

That was a fourth win for the daughter of Lend A Hand who has been a consistent servant for the Hayden's and is named after the trainer's granddaughter.

"She loves that ground and it makes all the difference to her and we delighted to have the services of Johnny Murtagh today, he is a great help to us every season," revealed Hayden.

"I never thought she would be good enough to win a Group 3 so I am delighted and if all is well she will run over six-furlongs in a Group 3 for fillies next."

Incidentally Emily Blake was going one better than in this race last year when she was denied by Prima Luce.