Carla Bianca comes home in front under Pat Smullen© Photo Healy Racing
Carla Bianca completed her hat-trick as she won the feature at Gowran this evening, the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Hurry Harriet Stakes, scoring under Pat Smullen for Dermot Weld.
The grey daughter of Dansili belatedly got off the mark at Navan in June and she then followed up in the Listed Oaks Trial at Naas on her next start.
Having opened at 4/1 on-course this evening she went off a 5/1 chance and was settled in mid-division.
She took closer order approaching the straight and came with her challenge on the wide outside from over two furlongs out.
She was soon ridden and hit the front over a furlong from home, keeping on well from there to score by a length and three parts. Alive Alive Oh ran her best race for a while as she kept on to take second at 9/1 under Fran Berry for Tommy Stack while Beyond Brilliance (25/1) was a further half a length back in third for Ana and Aidan O’Brien. Lahinch Classics went off the heavily backed 7/4 favourite (10/3 last night and backed from 2’s on-course) and while she hit the front early in the straight she had no more to offer once headed and finished a disappointing sixth under Wayne Lordan for David Wachman.
Dermot Weld, who won this race last year with Along Came Casey, said afterwards: "It was a very pleasing performance by her with a penalty.
"It was an exceptionally good Listed race, run at Group 3 or 2 standard given the pace they ran it at. It was an exceptionally good renewal of the race.
"That's her trip. She has progressed very well from the spring. She took time early and we paced it slow which has paid very good dividends.
"We'll take it one step at a time but we'll find a big one before the year's out. Physically she's developing all the time and is a filly who will make a lovely four-year-old.
"She loves fast ground and that's as slow as she would handle."
STEWARDS REPORTS
The Stewards enquired into an incident in the straight involving Cosmic Cannonball ridden by K.J. Manning, placed fourth, Queen Of Alba ridden by R.P. Cleary, unplaced , We'll Go Walking ridden by G.F. Carroll, unplaced , Ballybacka Queen ridden by C.D. Hayes, unplaced and Shell House ridden by J.A. Heffernan, unplaced. Evidence was heard from the riders concerned. Having viewed the recording of the race and considered the evidence, the Stewards were of the opinion that K.J.Manning was in breach of Rule 214, having ridden carelessly and having considered his record, suspended him for two race days. Furthermore R.P. Cleary was cautioned concerning the accuracy of his evidence.
S. Foley, rider of Coolibah trained by Charles O'Brien, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount raced awkwardly.
The Turf Club Veterinary Officer examined Lahinch Classics, trained by David Wachman, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be post race normal.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
