Bluebell is driven out by Joseph O'Brien© Photo Healy Racing
Bluebell provided her sire Mastercraftsman (who is currently standing in New Zealand) with his first winner in Ireland, as she took the opening contest at Limerick this evening, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction 2yo Maiden.
Ridden by Joseph O’Brien and trained by his father Aidan, she made her debut at Fairyhouse recently, finishing a well beaten tenth behind stable mate Wonderfully.
She was backed on-course from 9/2 to 7/2 and having being headed by Pearl Earing a furlong out, she rallied gamely in the closing stages to score by half a length.
The David Wachman trained, Billy Lee ridden, Pearl Earing had to settle for second at 8/1 while the Kevin Prendergast trained Got To Dream (10/3 this morning and 2/1 to 15/8 clear favourite on-course) was a further two and a quarter lengths back in third under Chris Hayes.
Joseph O’Brien said afterwards: "She is genuine and they went a good gallop. She’s a bit lazy but she tries hard and she is entitled to setup to Stakes company after that."
The winner is a half-sister to Lilbourne Lad, who won the Group 2 Railway Stakes at the Curragh in 2011 and also finished second in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes in the same year.
She was purchased by Tim Hyde for €200,000 at Goffs in February of last year and she holds entries in the Railway Stakes, the Phoenix Stakes and the Moyglare Stud Stakes.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
