Funchal shows plenty on debut at Cork

Funchal put in a winning shift on debut in the Mallow Maiden for three-year-olds plus at Cork.

The Bungle Inthejungle three-year-old filly was pushed along by Billy Lee in rear of mid-division at the half-way stage of this five furlong sprint.

Lee switched her to the inner a furlong and a half down and one backhander was given before she made headway at the furlong pole.

She picked up really well in the final 150 yards and led in the closing stages to win going away by a length and a quarter at 8/1 from 12s.

De Velara ran a promising race in second at 10/3 on Irish debut having contested three races in his native France. Front-running Un Bacio Ancora took third at 16/1.

Willie McCreery said: "Patrick Burns bred her and had the two half-sisters with me, Devonshire who won a Group 2 and Hurryupharriet who won a Listed race, and he will hold on to this one for breeding.

"I was delighted to get her although he threatened that if she wasn't going to win a maiden not to run, so the pressure if off! I'm delighted for him as he is a patient man and I told him to wait until she got good ground and we'd be laughing.

"She'll get black-type because she made up a lot of ground from the back and was rapid in the last furlong. We've nothing in mind although if today's Listed race was in a few weeks' time, I'd run!"

Funchal is the capital city of Madeira.

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes