Bluedrum guided home by Shane Foley© Photo Healy Racing
A field of nine newcomers lined up for the concluding seven furlong juvenile maiden in Naas and it was Jessica Harrington's Bluedrum who made a winning debut. Ozark Daze had poached a lead of four lengths turning in, but he was under pressure in the final quarter of a mile as Bluedrum cut into the lead.
Bluedrum took over with more than a furlong to negotiate and scooted home well in the closing stages to post a comfortable success by two and a-half lengths at 6/1.
The placings were occupied by Keeper's Heart (11/4) and Chicago Critic (25/1) in second and third respectively, in a race where the odds-on favourite Gallantly failed to fire in seventh.
Assistant trainer Kate Harrington said: “We're very happy with her. She's a nice filly.
“She came into us at the end of July, she was in pre-training with Nicky Stokes who did a great job with her.
“She was a big backward filly and everything she's done with us she's been very good.
“It's lovely for the owner/breeder, Francis Jennings, it's a pity he didn't have a double as he was second in the first race.
“We had the dam, Drumfad Bay, this is only the second produce. Her half-sister by Lope De Vega is in Fairyhouse (Sales) next week, so that's very good timing.
“We've a few of these Blue Points, they showed a lot early in the season but they grew on us. They are very nice and we have a few of them to come out.
“She might appear again, Shane (Foley) said she was not in love with that ground at all and we'll see what the weather does. It would be nice to pick up a bit of black-type with her and you'd maybe look at the Staffordstown (Stud Stakes at Curragh) with her. That would be a nice stepping stone.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
