Perle De La Mer comes home a comfortable winner under Billy Lee© Photo Healy Racing
Newcomer Perle De La Mer ran out a comfortable winner of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Fillies Maiden, as the short priced favourite Teo's Music flopped.
Available at 8/1 in a place this morning, the Willie McCreery trained victor came in for plenty of market support, opening on-course 11/2, touching 3's, before going off at 7/2.
Settled behind the leaders by Billy Lee, the successful daughter of Born To Sea was pushed along to challenge on the outer approaching the straight.
She got to the front with over a furlong to race and kept on well inside the final furlong, going on to score by six and a half lengths. Stormy Belle finished second under Leigh Roche for Pat Fahey at 14/1, while the even money Teo's Music could only manage a well-beaten fourth under Kevin Manning for Jim Bolger. Joy For Mary who was third in the market, was withdrawn at the start after she managed to break away underneath the stalls.
Willie McCreery said afterwards: "It was a professional performance for a filly first time out and she was very good in the stalls with all the commotion all around.
"She did it well and came up the hill. In her work she has always been like that - she grinds it out rather than quickens and is very honest.
"She is bred by Patrick and Annemarie Burns, who have been great supporters of mine. She didn't make a certain figure at the sales but they're going to hold on to her now and breed from her. It's a family they have had all their lives.
"We'll see how she comes out of this but she went on that easy ground and it gives us options now - if we could get black-type she would be worth a lot more."
STEWARDS REPORT
The Stewards informed James Coyle, trainer that Joy For Mary, would have to be recertified before being declared to run from stalls again.
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
