Candy Apples is pushed out by Colin Keane to beat Ealain Aibrean (nearest) and Sign From Heaven© Photo Healy Racing
After finishing third on her first three starts, Candy Apples deservedly got her head in front in the Glebe House Stud Nursery, providing her trainer Patrick Prendergast with a double on the card (won the second with Ravello Again .
The Rick Barnes owned daughter of Footstepsinthesand was 5/2 this morning with Paddy Power, but she was well-supported on-course, going from 15/8 to 11/8 favourite at the off, while Sign From Heaven who was even money this morning, drifted from 5/4 to 6/4 trackside.
Making her handicap debut this evening, the Colin Keane ridden victor was drawn in stall two, but she soon got onto the rail and settled in second.
She improved to dispute the lead with Sign From Heaven from two furlongs out, hitting the front a furlong from home before staying on best to score by half a length.
The David Wachman trained, Connor King ridden, Sign From Heaven, who was giving the winner eleven pounds, dead-heated for second with 11/2 chance Ealain Aibrean for Pat Smullen and Dermot Weld.
Prendergast said afterwards: "I’m delighted with that. I had a feeling she might be second.
"Colin was very clever on her, he never gave up the rail. It was hard for David’s horse as she had to give us eleven pounds and the rail, and it was probably a hell of a run from her considering.
"I was a little worried that five furlongs might be a bit sharp for her. She’ll go six furlongs.
"She is in a five furlong Listed race on Saturday (at the Curragh) and if she eats up well and gets back to her weight she will run.
"We’ll try to get some blacktype with her."
Additional reporting by Michael Graham
