Leading Actress is driven out close home by Pat Smullen© Photo Healy Racing
Willie McCreery recorded his first win for powerful owner Sheikh Mohammed as Leading Actress scored on her debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF 2yo Fillies Maiden.
The daughter of Makfi (a first winner for the sire in Ireland) was prominent throughout and came under pressure over a furlong from home when disputing the lead.
She was headed by Blackbriar inside the final furlong but she battled back close home getting up to score by a neck at the line.
Blackbriar had to settle for second under Billy Lee for Tommy Stack at 7/2 while the John Murphy trained Avenue Montaigne finished a further two lengths back in third under Shane Foley at 8/1. Folk Law was the other 5/2 joint-favourite and she finished fourth under Wayne Lordan for Tommy Stack.
McCreery said afterwards: "That's the monkey off my back. That is my fourth runner for Sheikh Mohammed, three of them have been second and I thought we were going to be second again.
"She is a nice filly. I wanted to keep her and Devonshire (also owned by Sheikh Mohammed) separate and I thought the straight five would suit her.
"Pat was strong without being over strong on her and six or seven won’t be a bother to her.
"She is a big strong filly and we wouldn’t want to over phase her. We will step her up now."
STEWARDS REPORT
The Stewards fined T. Stack, trainer, €350 for lodging a passport in respect of Folk Law, the winner of this race, in which the vaccinations did not conform with the provisions of Rule 91.
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
