Magnifique makes winning start over hurdles

Femme Magnifique produced a fine front-running performance on her debut over timer to claim the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle at Downpatrick this afternoon.

The Willie Mullins-trained mare went to post an 11/4 shot in the two-mile-two contest and jumped out to make every yard under Kieran Callaghan.

2/1 favourite Sharp Object came to dispute briefly over the last but Femme Magnifique picked up well when asked for an effort by Callaghan and soon asserted.

The Champs Elysees mare stayed on strongly up the hill to record a convincing three-and-three-quarter length success.

It was a second career victory for Femme Magnifique who had landed a bumper at Thurles on her racecourse bow last December before competing in stronger graded company.

Callaghan said: "She obviously point-to-pointed and it showed there today, she knew what she was doing.

"I thought I went along evenly away in front. I didn't even want to be in front, but I just landed there after the first - when you are riding for Willie, you can kind of do that.

"It was a grand performance and she stayed going well up the hill.

"I hadn't asked her any questions at that stage and was just filling her up away coming down the hill. When he (Alex Harvey on Sharp Object) joined me, I knew he was the one working to come to me and I still had plenty up my sleeve.

"I winged the last and away she went up the hill.

"The last day was a very good run. She was obviously impressive in her bumper the first day in Thurles. She had been running well in those good bumpers.

"I would think that sort of trip is more up her alley, she stays going really well and settled away and jumped away and was very straightforward.

"I thought it (ground) was on the slow side of good, it is lovely ground and very safe."

(Quotes by Michael Graham)