Fairytale Princess and Gary Carroll.© Photo Healy Racing
Fairytale Princess made most of the running under Gary Carroll to run out an impressive winner of the concluding Fleetwood Paints Handicap on the final day of the Guineas meeting at the Curragh.
Stepping up to this 1m6f trip for the first time, the three-time Dundalk winner was also registering a first success on the turf.
Prominent from the outset, the Ger Lyons trained four-year-old led after a couple of furlongs, travelling easily in front all the way to the two furlong pole.
Grappo Nonino emerged from the chasing pack to look a serious threat at that point but as Chris Hayes got lower in the saddle on the Dermot Weld trained gelding, Fairytale Princess continued to find generously in front.
With the former having no more to offer close home, the Lyons filly asserted to win readily by three-and-a-quarter lengths.
Shane Lyons, brother and assistant trainer, “She ran well over 1m4f in Roscommon on Monday and Colin said we could even drop her back in trip.
“Kevin (Blessing, owner) is a great supporter of ours and is very enthusiastic. He was adamant with the gene testing that she would get the trip no problem.
“We were a bit worried about the ground with the rain but it was beautiful for a big filly like her.
“Thankfully we took a chance and it opens up a lot of options for her going forward.
“We’d love to get a bit of black type with her.”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee.
