New career high for dual-purpose Effernock Fizz

Effernock Fizz has proved a great dual-purpose mare for connections and recorded her sixth win with a valuable success in the €50,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Ragusa Handicap at the Curragh.

The six-year-old adopted her familiar pace-setting role with Niall McCullagh seen to great effect partnering her for the first time in her 45-race career.

Trained locally by Katy Brown, who went close with Allora Yeats in the Apprentice Derby here on Friday, the mare belied odds of 22/1 and had to dig deep in the final quarter mile. Vultan looked a big threat when closing right up over a furlong out but Effernock Fizz was ultra tough in the closing stages staying on strongly to beat that rival by a length and a quarter. Mosala was putting in his best work at the finish a further two and a quarter lengths back in third.

Brown said, "She's been a revelation for us. She's run in a nice handicap here for the past two years and I said to myself there's no group horse in it this year to beat her as last year she was beaten by Mighty Blue and the year before by Kastasa.

“She was in off a nice light weight today. When she can get to the front and bowl along she's very hard to peg back, especially on that good ground. It's the first time in a long time we've got good to firm ground for her.

“Niall gave her an absolute peach of a ride and we're delighted with her. Mark Gallagher couldn't ride her today but to be fair to him he told Niall how to ride her.

“She's entered for the Grade 3 Grimes Hurdle on Thursday and we'll see how she comes out of this. She was fourth in it last year and if she's okay she'll go for it again.

“I'm delighted for Tom Sheridan because he owns her and bred her himself. It's great for him.”

(GC & AM)