Elanora and Bill Lee win© Photo Healy Racing
Last year's Moyglare Stakes also-ran Elanora gained a first win at Navan today, providing her jockey Bill Lee with a double in the NavanRacecourse.ie Maiden.
The daughter of No Nay Never finished 12th of 13 in last year's Curragh Group 1 contest and while previously beaten in seven starts this year, today easily scored when making all and beating Mickey The Steel by a length and a quarter.
Winning trainer Michael Grassick is enjoying his best season winners-wise with this being a ninth success, and later commented “that was long overdue. I was a bit worried the five (furlongs) might be a bit short for her but the blinkers really sharpened her up today.
“I can’t believe this filly hadn’t won. She’s broken my heart as she works over everything at home.
“She’s a sister to Texas Rock (a dual Listed winner for the trainer) and it took a while for the penny to drop with him so maybe it might be the same for her.
“We’ll put her away and find a route for her next year. We always thought she was a Stakes filly and that’s where we would like to end up but she’s still well handicapped.
“It wasn’t the strongest of races but it’s nothing that she hasn’t shown us at home. The blinkers really worked as she was really on it.
“We’ve had a good year and she’s the only one that I was disappointed that hadn’t won.”
Jockey Lee had earlier steered Cleveleys to win for trainer Ken Condon.
Quotes from Alan Magee
