Baltray Lady and Dylan Browne McMonagle© Photo Healy Racing
First time blinkers worked the oracle on Baltray Lady as she made the breakthrough in the opener at Bellewstown this afternoon, the NewKey Homes Ltd. Nursery Handicap.
With some solid efforts to her name, the Joseph O'Brien-trained bay was sent off a 9/2 chance (from 6s) under Dylan Browne McMonagle.
A E10,000 purchase at the Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale, she soon disputed and gained an outright advantage from the three furlong pole.
Soon increasing her lead, the 67-rated victor kept on well when ridden from the furlong pole.
The fast finishing Donnacha O'Brien-trained Now (12/1) reduced the deficit to a length at the line, with 3/1 favourite Great Mover a further two and a half lengths away in third under Billy Lee.
"She did it well," Browne McMonagle reflected.
"A little stride slow from the gates, but I was happy to ride her nice and forward, keep it simple on her. She travelled around good and won well.
"It is her first time in blinkers, so they have probably sharpened her up a little bit. She was a little bit lazy the last day in Galway with Declan (McDonogh) maybe.
"She was (strong in the final quarter of a mile today) and from the three (pole), Billy (Lee) was on my outside and I knew he was struggling up around the top so, when I had him beat, I was confident I would have the rest of them.
"She's good and tough, and she stayed going well."
Additional reporting by Michael Graham
