O'Brien edges two ahead in Jockeys' Championship

Donnacha O'Brien bagged a Jockeys' Championship 'six-pointer' in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Fillies) Maiden at Naas this evening as he steered his father Aidan's Secret Thoughts to beat rival jockey Colin Keane, on Rita Levi by a head.

The daughter of War Front tracked eventual runner-up Rita Levi for much of the journey but improved to lead a furlong out before scoring a narrow head win.

Jockey O'Brien moved on to the 38 winner mark for the season, two clear of Keane, and later said “she's a lovely filly, a little bit green and probably needed the last run fitness wise more than some of ours but she stepped up nicely and I like her.

“I'd have rather gone seven or even a mile with her. This maiden came up on a bit of nice ground, at a decent track, so it suited her well and it's nice to see her being able to do it over six.

“Her mother was obviously famously a bit quirky and War Fronts can sometimes be a little bit the same. She's keeping it under wraps at the minute so hopefully we can keep her like that.”

Quotes from Gary Carson