Joseph and Donnacha O'Brien with Julienne© Photo Healy Racing
Julienne completed a treble for Donnacha O'Brien, and a double for his brother Joseph, as she justified favouritism in the www.tipperaryraces.ie Fillies Maiden.
Unplaced in two starts last year, the daughter of Galileo put in a much improved performance at the Curragh on Monday, going down by just a nose.
Expected to go one place better this evening, she was sent off the 6/4 favourite, and raced mainly in fifth.
She took closer order on the outer entering the straight, and was ridden to the front inside the final furlong, keeping on well from there to score comfortably, by a length and a half.
The Willie McCreery trained Madame Delavanti (8/1) finished second under Billy Lee for Willie McCreery, while 20/1 chance Sketching was half a length back in third. Grasping At Straws who came in for good money earlier in the day, finished fourth at 7/2.
The winning trainer said afterwards: "She had a good run last year and then disappointed, probably because of the soft ground.
"She ran well on Monday and came out of the race well. She is a well bred type and hopefully she can get some black-type eventually - that's what it's all about with these well-bred fillies."
STEWARDS REPORTS
The Stewards fined Henry de Bromhead, trainer, €350 for lodging a passport in respect of Small Wonder, in which the vaccinations did not conform with the provisions of Rule 91. The Stewards ordered the withdrawal of Small Wonder in accordance with the provisions of Rule 90 (iv).
C.D. Hayes, rider of Lir, trained by J.A.Stack, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount felt unsound behind and was pulled up thereafter.
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
