South Ring (inside) fends off the challenge of Red All Star© Photo Healy Racing
South Ring just held off the late challenge of Red All Star to win the Follow Tipperary Races on Facebook Maiden, for Willie McCreery and Pat Smullen.
The daughter of Titus Livius finished second over the course and distance on her last outing, and on her ninth career start this afternoon, she was sent off the 2/1 favourite.
Fitted with blinkers for the first time, the four-year-old chestnut broke smartly from stall one, and she was in front over a furlong out.
She was driven out from there, and she just did enough in front to hold off the late surge of Red All Star (11/4), for Pat Martin and Andrew Thornton, by a nose, with Fitrah also trained by McCreery, a length back in third under Wayne Lordan at 6/1.
McCreery said afterwards: "I'm delighted for her owner, breeder (David Brickley).
"She is tough but she is hard on herself. She was second the last day and I thought the handicapper was hard on her by putting her up ten pounds.
"I’m not sure whether she will be retired to the paddocks now, although she ran well first time up on the all-weather so we will see.
"The blinkers and the draw helped her."
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
