Hieroglyphic makes the breakthrough on start number three

Hieroglyphic brought her form figures to '221' when winning the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden (DIV I) at Dundalk for Michael Halford and Ronan Whelan.

The Godolphin Exceed And Excel filly was backed from 9/4 into 7/4 favourite for this seven furlong assignment.

She got the better of 15/8 second market choice Turbo Command by a neck.

Third home Abby Hatcher kept on inside the final furlong and was short of room close home, a neck back.

“It's lovely to win with those fillies. She's run two good races so it's nice to go and get her head in front,” said Halford.

“She's a lovely straight-forward filly, when he needed her there tonight she was good and tough for him.

“She's still a bit weak, I'd say, and we'll put her away now. She'll be a grand filly through the summer and will love a bit of good ground.

“She'll improve, she has a nice attitude.

“We had some nice two-year-olds for Godolphin this year but they were backward and she's about the only one we got to run.

“We have a couple of nice fillies at home for them to run next year. It's important to get a winner for them.”

At the request of the Stewards, R.P. Downey, rider of Deadwood trained by John C. McConnell, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount got lit up, ran very free throughout and ran green on the bends.

R.P. Cleary, rider of Abby Hatcher trained by James M. Barrett, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount ran short of room in the closing stages.

(GC & EM)