Maricruz and Shane Crosse© Photo Healy Racing
Much of the pre-race attention fell on Madrid and One Cool Poet in the concluding Sean McGuinness Memorial Handicap at Bellewstown but John McConnell's youngster Maricruz stole the show.
Madrid (6/4 out to 9/4 favourite) was bidding to give Ballydoyle a double following the earlier win of Astronomer That front-runner eventually had to settle for fourth though.
A major move developed on One Cool Poet meanwhile. However that fellow faded into sixth in the final furlong having come there with every chance. He'd been backed from 8/1 into 7/2.
Maricruz wasn't without her supporters either, and the three-year-old daughter of Most Improved justified the faith of those that punted her from 13/2 into 5/1.
Held up towards the rear, Shane Crosse asked Maricruz to improve two furlongs out and she stayed on into fifth a furlong out.
From there she ran on well to challenge inside the final furlong, leading in the last fifty yards and keeping on well close home to out-point Mystique Heights by two lengths.
"For a three-year-old filly to jump out of the stalls like she did and win like she did was good. She's still improving and her attitude is getting better. She's quieter around the ring than she used to be," said McConnell.
"I said before that she'd make a nice hurdler and she's near the rating now where she would make a nice hurdler. Her dam had a few quirks and this filly definitely has a few quirks but at the minute she's on an even keel.
"Shane is great value for his claim and is riding very well."
A.M. Glynn, rider of Inis Meain (USA) trained by Denis Gerard Hogan, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount pulled up lame.
(AM & EM)
