Empress Artemis approaches the winning post© Photo Healy Racing
Empress Artemis cut through the field well to land Division 2 of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden on her racecourse debut at Dundalk.
The 10/1 shot, trained by Mick Halford and Tracey Collins, was backed at much bigger prices in the morning and made a slow start to this mile contest.
She soon raced in mid-division for Ronan Whelan and travelled into contention two furlongs down. She came through to lead a furlong out and stayed on to beat a keeping-on Permission Tospeak (5/1) by half a length. Matrice completed the placings in third at 33/1.
Halford said: "Little bit of a surprise.
"I had her up here a few weeks ago and my own daughter Holly rode her work.
"A lovely, big, laid-back filly and we wanted to get a run into her now and see where we were with her going into the winter.
"She was working like a filly that would come on plenty for the run, but her mother performed well on the surface. She is by Mehmas and he is a phenomenal stallion.
"Ronan said she travelled really well everywhere. She has got a great mind that filly.
"We will probably put her away now and see what happens. Anything from our place that wins first time out are usually above average.
"I'm delighted for her owner Michael Enright, he bred her and he has been a great client of ours. He has been very loyal to us all through the years.
"I'm delighted to see him with a nice filly."
