Roca Roma has them in trouble© Photo Healy Racing
Ger Lyons’ Roca Roma availed of a drop in class to regain a winning thread in the fillies’ handicap over a mile at Leopardstown.
This was her handicap debut off a mark of 90 which got her into this race off top weight.
She was held up on the outer by Colin Keane and began to make headway three furlongs out.
The daughter of Australia was on the bridle as she challenged for the lead entering the straight. She came down the centre of the track and picked off Sweeproad a furlong and a half out.
She was soon ridden by Keane who kept her up to her work to comfortably score by a length and three parts at 3/1. Zofar Zogood chased her home at 9/2.
Assistant trainer Shane Lyons said: “It's good to get her back. We freshened her up since her last two quick runs.
“It was a tough ask in the Pretty Polly and we ran her back a bit soon in Killarney thinking we'd give her a confidence booster. She ran a bit flat there.
“She's fresh now. She's gone through that ground due to her class and Colin also went on the fresh ground. She took herself into the race lovely.
“We knew she wanted a cut in it but no horse wants that heavy ground. That's as bad as I've seen in Leopardstown for many a year, although it's no fault of anyone.
“We're delighted to give her a confidence booster there. We'll take her home and freshen her up now.
“Hopefully we might find black-type for her on Champions weekend, we'll have to look at the program.
“It's all about black-type now. She was a Guineas filly in our eyes and she's still a group horse for us.”
Roca Roma was last seen running unplaced in Listed class at Killarney and on her penultimate start finished last of five behind Magical in the Group One Pretty Polly at the Curragh.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
