Sunday Smart puts her best foot forward

Sunday Smart kept it simple in Limerick with an all-the-way success in the opening auction maiden for juveniles.

Ronan Whelan sent the Dandy man filly into an early lead although she was pressed throughout by Bronze Age

In the final furlong of this extended six furlong contest, she saw it out best as Bronze Age was unable to match her.

The 9/4 joint favourite asserted in the closing stages to win by a length and three parts.

Bronze Age kept on for second at 18/1 from 25/1. Sagittarius Rising took third, two and a half lengths further back, at 100/1.

Trainer Patrick Prendergast said: "I thought she should nearly have won the last day and in another stride she had it. She has been a very slow learner and I'm glad we came today because I was nearly calling a halt as I thought the ground had gone and Ronan (Whelan) said she didn't like it at all.

"She is very honest but has just been very slow to learn and we mightn't run her again this year as she didn't really handle that ground. I think next year she'll be a Stakes filly; she needs better ground."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes