'Funny lady' wins the 1000 Guineas Trial

After winning her maiden at Navan last Tuesday, the Aidan O’Brien trained Just Pretending (6/1) followed up in the Group 3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown this afternoon.

Ridden by Joseph O’Brien, the daughter of Giant’s Causeway raced in third in the early stages behind the 13/8 favourite We’ll Go Walking.

The Jim Bolger trained favourite was headed two furlongs out and she quickly faded eventually finishing last under Kevin Manning.

Just Pretending took over in front two furlongs out and she kept on well from there to hold off the challenge of the David Wachman trained, Fran Berry ridden, Hint Of A Tint (6/1) by a neck at the line.

The Mick Halford trained Mizzava was a further two and a quarter lengths back in third under Shane Foley at the odds of 14/1.

Aidan O’Brien said afterwards: "She is a funny lady. She gives trouble at the stalls and needs to be loaded early.

"She has loads of ability and she showed that at Navan. She could go for the Guineas now and she might step up to a mile and a quarter. She is a fine big filly."

The winner is a half-sister to the Grade 3 winner in the US called The Leopard, who cost $2,500,000 as a two-year-old.

Additional reporting by Michael Graham