Italian Marcialis scores aboard Star Twenty-one year old Jessica Marcialis from Italy took the Irish leg of Ladies Qualified Riders Association Fegentri World Championship series aboard the James Nash trained Star Of Aragon. The son of Saffron Walden, who missed an engagement at Wexford on Friday due to the change in going, was sent off at 9/1 for the 1m 6f handicap. The versatile 6yo had been disappointing on his last two starts but he bounced back to form today to record his fifth career success. Aftering chasing the leaders in the early stages he moved into a closer third as they entered the straight. He hit the front under three furlongs out and went clear from the two furlong pole. He stayed on strongly from there to record an easy six length success. The Sabrina Harty trained Silas Mariner (16/1) ran on well to take second under Adrienne Foley (replacing German jockey Berit Weber) while Nina Carberry was a further ten lengths back in third aboard the Pat Flynn trained Skiing In Tune at 3/1. Knockcroghery was sent off the 11/4 favourite under Lisa O'Neill but the top weight could only manage a disappointing fifth. Winning trainer James Nash said afterwards: "I thought the ground was a problem. I thought the ground and Rayhani would beat him but that fellow ran well in fourth as well. "I watched the race last year and thought I'd try to win it. He travelled well all along but was it a race, time will tell. "He could go for a two mile handicap hurdle in Listowel or he might travel as he before. "He is owned by the Holly's Buddies Syndicate from Dublin and he has won five times for them now. "He has won at all the big tracks Cheltenham, Leopardstown, Galway and now the Curragh." (On-course reporting by Michael Graham)
