Princess Zoe powers home under Joey Sheridan© Photo Healy Racing
Princess Zoe coped admirably with a step up in class to land the Listed Oyster Stakes over an extended mile and a half in Galway.
Tony Mullins' mare brought up her four-timer and, included in that, she is now three from three at Ballybrit after her success in this hot renewal.
The 2/1 favourite raced in rear of mid-division before improving at the halfway stage.
She tanked into contention on the outer at the three pole and was pushed along by Joey Sheridan to go after Ennistymon in the final quarter of a mile.
She raced past that rival straightening up and quickly drew clear in the final furlong to win by a length and three quarters. Barrington Court came home strongly through the testing ground for second at 10/1 by half a length from Ennistymon (5/1).
Tony Mullins said: “It’s a great relief to have that over, particularly to see her do it on heavy ground.
“We would have had a sporadic good horse but injury intervened with so many of them.
“This one has delivered every time and it shows, though few and far between, that a small stable can compete at this level.
“She’s owned by a great old friend in Paddy (Kehoe) with his sister Philomena (Crampton) and they are purely racing people so other considerations don’t come into it.
“Cheltenham is still to the forefront of their minds but in the shorter term we’ll have to have discussions as regards the Cesarewitch and the Cadran.
“Joey couldn’t use his allowance here, but his claim would negate a penalty in the Cesarewitch.”
Additional reporting by Eamonn Murphy
