Soffia comes out on top under Danny Sheehy© Photo Healy Racing
Soffia produce a game front-running performance to land the big pot in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF 'Bold Lad' Sprint Handicap at the Curragh this afternoon.
A field of 26 lined up for the €150,000 prize and Soffia emered on top to claim the lion's share of the money.
Danny Sheehy was soon to the fore on the far side on the Kyllachy filly and that group was in front coming into the final furlong.
Soffia kept on best to prevail by three-parts-of-a-length from Smash Williams in a bunch finish to the six-furlong contest.
The 20/1 winner was winning her fourth race of the season and had just been collared close home on her last outing over seven at Cork.
“It's hard to be confident in races like that but we thought we had her really good,” said Lynam.
“Danny said there wasn't a lot of pace on the far side so we had to let her roll.
“Lady O'Reilly has with me a long long time and it's nice to train a nice winner for her.
“I suppose we'll try and get a bit of valuable black-type for her later on. She won the price of a few drinks today anyway!
“The trainer could do with her staying in training next year as he's very low on ammunition so I hope she does but we'll wait and see.
“She was bought by my daughter Amy as a foal, it was her very first pinhook. That was her first buy and it turned out very lucky.
“I bought her off her as a yearling and I had to give her a good bit of profit!”
Sheehy added:- “I was just beaten on the nod at Cork the last day over a furlong too far. I was looking forward to today and she’s done it well.
“I was hoping there would be a bit more pace my side because ideally I didn’t want to make it, and there was plenty of pace over on the stands’ side. I just let her go along and she enjoyed herself. She was very gutsy and she stayed at it.
“She’s a very talented filly, improving with every run and she enjoyed the bit of juice in the ground today.
“Eddie and Sarah have both been very good to me and I’m up there riding out every Wednesday.”
(Additional reporting by Alan Magee)
