Epona Plays takes Group 3 feature for McCreery & Lee

Epona Plays is improving at a rate of knots and she added to a maiden win at Gowran Park earlier this summer when landing the featured Denny Cordell Lavarack & Lanwades Stud Fillies Stakes.

The daughter of Australia hails from a family that trainer Willie McCreery has done really well with in the past, and she added to the black type on her page with this Group 3 success.

Billy Lee had to switch the 9/2 chance out left to challenge Etneya just over a furlong out but she kept on really well to get on top close home.

The pair stretched five lengths clear of Cerro Bayo in third, while the pace-setting favourite Ennistymon faded inside the final quarter mile to finish a disappointing seventh.

McCreery said, “I thought she was a decent filly last year and she ran a cracking race in Leopardstown.

“It’s taken her a while to get going but she loves it here. She’s progressing well and they went a proper gallop.

“Billy said she was just behind the bit lovely all the way, and when he asked her she was always going to respond. He said she did it snugly in the end.

“I delighted for the owner/breeders Renzo Forni and his daughter Raffaello. That’s the fourth of that family that have won for me and the three fillies have all got black type.

“She had a little niggle earlier in the year that we have sorted out and she’s coming on the whole time. She’s a lovely scopey filly and goes on any ground.”