Firebird flies in on Irish debut for Paddy Twomey

Runner-up on her racecourse debut for previous connections at Ayr last October, Firebird easily opened her account on her first start for Paddy Twomey when readily landing the Sign Up To Our Newsletter Maiden at Cork.

Well supported from morning odds against into 4/6f, the daughter of Lope De Vega barely had to come off the bridle to register an impressive success under Billy Lee.

Handy throughout on the stands side, as Your Day To Shine and Prince Of Eyeries disputed up front, Lee sat motionless over two furlongs out as White Clover briefly led under Gary Carroll.

Quickening ahead to lead over a furlong out, Firebird went clear to win by five lengths.

Winning trainer Paddy Twomey said: "She is a nice filly, she came from Rebecca Menzies last year and from a late Sir Robert Ogden dispersal sale. She had a good first run and luckily followed it up today.

"Her mother is a sister to Bluestocking, her sister was placed in the Sandringham and another sister sold for a lot of money also so it is a good Juddmonte pedigree. Hopefully there is more to come.

"I think she can step up a furlong and if I can find her a winners' race that would be great and the idea then would be to try for blacktype."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes.