Mile End and Ben Coen win the Barberstown Castle Nursery© Photo Healy Racing
Mile End took the drop back in trip in her stride when galloping her rivals into submission in the Barberstown Castle Nursery Handicap at the Curragh.
A fast finishing fifth at Down Royal on her handicap debut, the Johnny Murtagh-trained filly was fitted with first time blinkers here.
Well away under Ben Coen, the daughter of Expert Eye had everything in trouble at halfway and kept on strongly to hold off Biggerthanbigtime
“I fancied her in Down Royal the last day but she was drawn 11, missed the kick and never got into the race,” said Murtagh.
“Ben said he was forced wide all the way, stayed on well and probably wants a mile but I worked her in blinkers the other day, gave her a sharpener, and they seemed to have brought her alive.
“It looked like a winnable nursery. She got out there in front, flowing along, and Ben said she did it well.
“She's a handy filly. She probably ran better than her finishing position the last day and was entitled to be thereabouts today in a race like that.
“We'll see what the handicapper does and go again. Ben said she liked the ground as well.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
