Truffles enjoys a decisive win in Fairyhouse© Photo Healy Racing
Truffles made every yard a winning one under Gary Carroll in the seven furlong maiden at Fairyhouse.
The 8/1 chance shot away from the stalls and held a lead of a length and a half from Zauffaly at the halfway point.
She was driven clear by Carroll a couple of furlongs from home. The jockey had a peek round his left shoulder with a furlong and a half to race and must have been heartened to see the gap of over five lengths to the pursuers.
She was ridden over a furlong from the finish and bounded away to win by four and a half lengths at 8/1. Waitaki kept on for second at 5/2 some five lengths in front of third-placed Intense Stylist the 9/4 jolly.
“Gary said he half stole it. We knew she jumps well from the gates. She got into her stride easily and he just sat there,” successful trainer Sheila Lavery said.
“Up the straight he gave her a squeeze and she accelerated off.
“We're lucky as she's not ground dependent. She's a home-bred and she's getting stronger and improving.
“She's out of a Juddmonte mare that I bought and she has a nice pedigree.
“She's in the mares sales in December but I'll talk to John now and I'm not sure if she'll go — I hope she doesn't.
“We'll see what the handicapper does now and look at the programme. She goes on that or good ground.
"She did run at Dundalk and didn't like the kickback and when she was second last time at Leopardstown it was very fast.
“On that ground those tactics are important but not usually to her. It's very hard to make ground up there and she jumps out of the gates so quickly.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
