Gabriella's Spirit and Shane Foley© Photo Healy Racing
Well-bred Gabriella's Spirit (10/1) made a winning Irish debut today, providing jockey Shane Foley with a Tipperary double in the TipperaryRacecourse.ie Handicap scoring for trainer Ken Condon and owner/breeder Con Harrington.
Out of a Group 3-winning half-sister to King's Stand Stakes winner Profitable, Gabriella's Spirit was previously successful just once from 12 UK starts, at Thirsk last September, and today won eased-down and in fine style, from Hallowed Time
Condon commented “it is great to win for Con Harrington who has sent us fillies with similar profiles in the past and we had luck. Con only has a small broodmare band but has a lot of quality and she is well related, so her future lies as a broodmare. She is a four year old so maybe can win again for him.
“She did it well, was drawn in the right place (15) on the evening and Shane said he got a feel for her, she took a blow at halfway and finished off her race well. She obviously likes the fast ground and on that evidence we'll have a bit of fun with her.
“She had been training just ok but some of those with age and experience, when they come to the racecourse the adrenaline seems to kick in. We were hopeful as she wasn't working super but what she did there was nice.”
