Friendless Zalfana takes the Curragh opener Newcomer Zalfana sprang a bit of a surprise in the opener at the Curragh, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden, as the odds-on favourite Coolmore could only manage third. The Dermot Weld trained victor was 5/1 last night with Paddy Power but prove friendless with punters, opening on-course at 8/1 before going off at 9's. All the money was for the Aidan O'Brien trained Coolmore, who is a full-sister to Gleneagles. She opened on-course at 8/11 before going off the clear 8/15 favourite. Settled in mid-division the winning daughter of Dutch Art was pushed along from three furlongs out. She was ridden under two furlongs from home and looked to be struggling in third with a furlong left to race. However she found another gear in the closing stages, getting up in the final 50 yards before going on to score by three parts of a length under Pat Smullen in the colours of the Aga Khan. Ceol Na Ghra finished second under Kevin Manning for Jim Bolger at 9/1 while Coolmore, who was slowly into stride, kept on well to take third a further neck back under Joseph O'Brien. Dermot Weld said afterwards: "I thought she did it nicely and I expected her to run very well. She's a lovely staying filly in the making. "She'll probably have one more run in the Staffordstown Stud Stakes in mid-October here. "I think she'll be a very progressive filly. The one thing that would stop her running would be soft ground as she has a good action. "She loved the ground today and I think she'll progress along the right lines." Additional reporting by Gary Carson
