Virtudes shows her true merit

Virtudes left behind a disappointing debut run recently at Naas to win on her second start at the same Co Kildare venue today, taking the Panoramic Restaurant Maiden for trainer Willie McCreery, jockey Bill Lee and for owner Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin.

The daughter of Invincible Spirit went clear with a furlong to race and in the end scored a two and a quarter lengths wins over Shinko Princess with McCreery’s Realt Rua filling third place on debut.

McCreery later stated “she (Virtudes) was too disappointing the first day as she's been working well and Billy (Lee) just thought the softer ground caught her out. She travelled well and I suppose the experience helped her there today. I would have been very disappointed if she hadn't run well today.

“It's nice to get a winner in those colours, it's important for me and we'll see now where we go.

“The other filly, Realt Rua, finished third there for the Irish National Stud, so they are happy as well.”

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson