Tilly Trotter too strong in the first Dermot Weld's Tilly Trotter justified favouritism with the minimum of fuss in the opening five furlong juvenile fillies' maiden. The daughter of Kodiac broke smartly from stall nine to lead with Davaria a close second on her inside. Davaria came off the bridle on the home bend as Tilly Trotter travelled well for Pat Smullen. The leader drifted right over two furlongs out but was still well in command. Smullen asked her to go and win her race outside the furlong pole and she bounded away in the closing stages to win by two and a half lengths at 5/4. Tilly Trotter had been as big as 11/4 in the morning. "The experience was a huge help. She was still quite green in front and had a good look around,” Pat Smullen said. “She showed a bit of pace but ideally would want a bit further — probably six furlongs. “I thought despite the draw that the run under her belt would be a huge help. Being drawn one at the Curragh she might as well not have been at the races given the bias. “She appreciated the faster surface also.” Joyce Compton (9/2) came through for second on debut for Willie McCreery and Billy Lee. She came in half a length up on 14/1 shot Grecian Divine. Davaria (16/1 in the morning to an SP of 8/1) and Kissykissy (opening show of 12s to 7/1) were the money horses but finished eighth and 10th respectively. Tilly Trotter ran seventh at the Curragh just under a fortnight ago. Additional reporting by Gary Carson
