O'Rourke Hails his Lavarack winner

The feature Flat race of the Gowran Park year, the Group 3 Denny Cordell Lavarack & Lanwades Stud Fillies Stakes, went for export this year with the Sir Michael Stoute trained Ave winning for locally based owner Dermot O'Rourke (Plantation Stud racing colours).

Ridden by Richard Mullen, riding his first winner in Ireland, Ave tracked the leaders before improving to lead over one furlong out, eventually holding the challenge of Choose Me by a length and a half.

Stoute himself was absent but winning owner O'Rourke did report “I'm delighted with that. I put the idea of the race, which is so close to home, to Michael (Stoute) and he said 'why not! She should stay a mile and a half and will run next in the Pride Stakes at Newmarket next month.”

Jockey Mullen also mentioned “Ave has always been a nice filly and is improving all the time. Today's ground may have been a little fast for her infact, as she likes ground with a bit of juice in it.”