Miles To Memphis the Ladies Derby hero Lisa O'Neill capped a fine year in the saddle by winning the richest ladies' race in Europe - the 30,000 euro Boodles Ladies Irish Derby Handicap at the Curragh. Her mount, Miles To Memphis, raced in second behind Breathe Easy with the pair clear of the remainder. Sweeping into the home straight and Breathe Easy held a two and a half length lead over Miles To Memphis who was a good four lengths ahead of a wall of three horses - Spruce Meadows, Sandstorming and New Direction. Miles To Memphis began to cut into Breath Easy's lead racing to the final quarter of a mile and was ridden to the front over a furlong out. He stayed on to post a victory by three parts of a length at 9/2 from 11/2. Breath Easy took the runner-up berth at 5/1 with the 3/1 Sandstorming never nearer in third, beaten a length and a quarter by the winner. Trainer Denise Foster said: "She (Lisa O'Neill) did exactly what we talked about in the weigh room and thanks to Kate Harrington for giving us a lead. “He needs someone in front of him as he can be a bit lairy but even with a lead his ears were pricked and he was looking around. "I'm so happy and the owner (Jules Sigler) is going to be delighted. He lives in Canada and said even just to have a horse running at the Curragh made him so happy. "He's eight years old. We've never had any problems with his legs but he had broken his pelvis a good few years back so I was always a bit worried about the ground and being a bit jarring on his body but evidently not. "The GPT in Galway has kind of been on my plans and then we'll go jumping again. He has his own style of jumping a hurdle. He bunny hops them and loses half a length at every hurdle but it's pure engine that gets him there. “I never thought he'd win two on the Flat and he's a very versatile horse. The wins on the Flat might give him confidence and might make him an even better hurdler. “It's been a bit slow for me and the horses haven't been that well for a couple of months. He has been great and kept the show on the road. He's why I get up in the mornings.” Additional reporting by Gary Carson
