Keatley's juvenile has plenty happy

Athas An Bhean proved a pretty convincing winner of the opening Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Fillies Maiden, beating her fellow trio of newcomers at Cork, in the hands of Fran Berry.

Chris Hayes didn't get an 'out' when he needed it aboard the favourite, Jealous Beauty but in the end she went down by four lengths to Adrian Keatley's 4/1 victor.

"She had been working well at home. She'd worked well on horrible ground at the Curragh and was the right type for this time of year. She's small and strong and I thought she was the only one (of the four runners) that had come in her coat," revealed Keatley.

"She likes that ground, has a good attitude and we'll try to get black-type with her in the Marygate Stakes at York on the fifteenth of May.

"She is owned by the Lotts Syndicate, whose five members are from Dublin, and they've a nice pot to go home with today (10,695 Euros to the winner and a 10,000 Euro 'Plus 10' bonus)."

The Stewards enquired into an incident approximately two furlongs from home involving Jealous Beauty, ridden by C.D. Hayes, placed second and Lilliard ridden by S. Foley, placed third. Evidence was heard from the riders concerned. Having viewed the recording of the race and considered the evidence, the Stewards took no further action.(TW & EM)