Spirit makes it two on the bounce

The David Wachman trained Awakened Spirit followed up on her recent success at Tipperary as she took the opener at the Curragh this afternoon, the Wuhan Goodwill Cup Nursery Handicap.

The daughter of Fracas (second winner for that sire from four runners) finished fifth on her debut at Pontefract in June on good ground but won her maiden on her second start at Tipperary earlier this month on soft to heavy.

On soft to heavy ground again today she made virtually all and asserted from over a furlong out, keeping on well to score by a length and a half at the finish under Wayne Lordan.

The Tommy Carmody trained Sherzam ran her best race to date to finish second at 8/1 under Ben Curtis while Monakova was a further two and a half lengths back in third under Pat Smullen for Willie McCreery at 14/1.

The winner was returned the 7/2 joint favourite having opened at 11/2 with Paddy Powers this morning and at 9/2 on track. Where for Aidan & Joseph O’Brien was the other 7/2 joint favourite but she could only manage a disappointing eighth.

Winning trainer David Wachman said afterwards: "She is quite a nice filly and she is straight forward. She is running over a trip that is a bit short for her but she is improving all the time.

"She definitely wants better ground and her class got her through. There is plenty of stakes races and she’ll have to try her hand in them now."

(On-course reporting by Gary Carson)