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Donal Murphy

Donal Murphy

Beautiful double for Donnacha O'Brien

Wed 26th Jun 2019, 21:41

Simply Beautiful is ridden out by Donnacha O'BrienSimply Beautiful is ridden out by Donnacha O'Brien
© Photo Healy Racing

Donnacha O'Brien completed a first and last race double at Naas, as he partnered Simply Beautiful to victory in the concluding Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over a mile.

Placed on her last two starts, the daughter Galileo was expected to get off the mark this evening, going off the clear 9/10 favourite.

Settled in second, the Aidan O'Brien trained grey was pushed along to challenge from the two furlong pole.

She was ridden and got to the front inside the final 150 yards, keeping on well from there to prevail by a length and a half. Bellakris (9/2) kept on well to take second under Shane Foley for Jessica Harrington, while the front-running Mater Matuta (14/1) was a head back in third.

"She had good form. I think she wants further than that and wants a little bit slower ground but she was just good enough to win today,” said Donnacha O'Brien who was earlier successful on A New Dawn

"She's a grand filly. Conditions weren't with her today but she put her head down and galloped to the line."

The winner is a full-sister to Mekong River who won five times from seven starts, claiming the Group 3 Friarstown Stud International Stakes on his final outing.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

1st
9/10Fav
Tote €2.10 €1.02
2nd
1.5L
9/2
€1.70
3rd
hd
14/1
€4.30
4th
4.75L
7/1
About Donal Murphy
Donal graduated from Maynooth University in 2010 with a BBS in Equine Business and since attained a diploma in Sports Journalism from Dublin Business School. He holds a variety of roles in the horse racing industry, reporting for the Press Association and p2p.ie, while also working for SIS and the Tote. From Wexford, he is a keen runner and has completed over 100 parkruns at various locations around the country.