Wendla and Colin Keane race on from Vina Arana and Gary Carroll© Photo Healy Racing
They had placed second in the opening couple of races at Leopardstown but it came together beautifully for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane in the third event at the Foxrock venue, their Wendla taking the Group Three Al Shira'aa Racing 'Mutamakina' Stakes.
Keane judged it to a nicety up front on the successful Juddmonte Ulysses filly and beating the other 'girls' from the Classic generation 7/1 chance Wendla found plenty to keep 6/5 favourite Buttons at bay by three parts of a length.
That marked a role reversal for Glenburnie and Ballydoyle after the earlier action.
Owner Ben Halsall and trainer Henry de Bromhead will doubtless have been delighted to see their 66/1 chance, Vina Arana pick up the third spot. Less pleased will have been connections and supporters of 6/4 shot, One Look as she could only beat one home.
“She's a lovely honest filly. The ground comes all the same to her, she's handled heavy and she handled that,” said Lyons.
“She's a light filly so I didn't have any doubts she'd handle that.
“I probably had her wrong and Colin had her right. I thought the way the race was run it wasn't going to suit as it turned into a sprint, she's pacier than I gave her credit for.
“I had her down as a horse, going forward, that would go further sooner rather than later.
“Colin has her as having more speed than I gave her credit for, thankfully he was right. He was in the right place on her and she answered and did it well. You couldn't knock the performance.
“When you get those fillies you try and win a maiden to tick the first box and then you are looking for black-type and winning black-type is brilliant.
“I just thought we were going too slow, they were doing 14 seconds fractions and that's too slow. I was thinking we're in trouble and that speed is just going to go past us. Thankfully I was wrong about my filly, she's quicker than I gave her credit for.”
When asked if she could tackle the Irish 1,000 Guineas he added:-
“I wouldn't think so but we'll talk to Barry and Rory (Mahon) and better brains than me will decide that.
“She's earned the right and the lads can decide that. If she ends up doing what Zarinsk did last year we'll be over the moon.
“There are big races here at the end of the year that we can aim for, the mile race (Matron Stakes).”
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined One Look, trained by P. Twomey, at the request of the Raceday Stewards and reported the animal to be post race normal.
(GC & EM)
