Grateful (pink) gets up to collar Mother Nature© Photo Healy Racing
Successful with Tunbridge Wells in the previous contest, Aidan O'Brien quickly doubled his tally in the Sky Bet Club Fillies Maiden.
The master of Ballydoyle saddled two of the 10-starters for this mile-and-a-half contest, with Grateful the outsider of the pair, coming out on top under Wayne Lordan.
Out of six-time Group 1 winner Tepin, the chestnut victor finished down the field on her sole start as a juvenile and while available at 14/1 in early shows for her first assignment as a three-year-old, she eventually went off a 13/2 chance.
Settled in mid-division on the outer, the winner appeared to be struggling when ridden in fourth over a furlong from home.
However, she soon responded generously, getting up in the dying strides to prevail by a short head.
Sent off the 4/6 favourite, Mother Nature and Ryan Moore looked set to deliver when taking over from Ob La Di inside the furlong pole, but she couldn't sustain her effort and had to settle for the runner-up berth.
Well-supported from 33s to 22s, Yes Oui Si was another length-and-a-half back in third under Shane Foley for Jessica Harrington.
"She's by Galileo and she has an unbelievable pedigree," said O'Brien.
"She got a little setback last year and we didn't get to run her. She just took a bit of time to come and Wayne said there is a lot to come from her.
"We'll let her step up and progress away and he said she'd be very happy to step back in trip. It's all positive."
On runner-up Mother Nature, he added:- "She was very green. If she had been in front and the other one pushed her on it would have helped but when she got left by herself she was very green. Ryan said she was pricking her ears going to the line.
"She was like that in Dundalk and I'd say she'll take a few runs."
STEWARDS REPORTS
The Raceday Stewards enquired into an incident approximately one hundred yards from the finish involving Grateful, ridden by W.M. Lordan, placed first, and Yes Oui Si, ridden by S. Foley, placed third, where it appeared that Yes Oui Si had to check. Evidence was heard from the riders concerned. S. Foley stated that he didn't have the horse to fill the gap when Grateful shifted slightly right. W.M. Lordan stated that his mount was very green and shifted slightly right despite his best efforts. Having viewed the recording of the race and considered the evidence, the Raceday Stewards did not apportion blame to any rider for the incident and took no further action.
W.J. Lee, rider of Alinta, trained by P. Twomey, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount was very slowly away.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
