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- Venus foils the gamble on Rae's Creek
Donal Murphy
Venus foils the gamble on Rae's Creek
Venus De Milo (nearest) keeps on strongly under Seamie Heffernan to beat Rae's Creek (white cap)
© Photo Healy Racing
Newcomer Venus De Milo kept on strongly in the closing stages to win the last, the Family Day On 14th July Fairyhouse Maiden, under Seamie Heffernan for Aidan O’Brien.
The stable second-string was sent off at 6/1 and she dwelt towards the rear in the early stages.
She was fifth over a furlong from home and looked set to finish out of the money however she came home with a wet sail, sweeping to the front in the closing stages to win by a length at the line.
The Jessica Harrington trained Rae’s Creek was 9/2 this morning with Paddy Power but he was strongly backed this afternoon and opened on-course at just 13/8 before going off the 5/4 clear favourite.
The Fran Berry ridden, JP McManus owned colt briefly hit the front inside the final furlong but he had no answer when the winner came with her challenge and he had to settle for second.
Joseph O’Brien chose to ride Heirloom over the winner and he finished a neck back in third at 3/1.
Seamie Heffernan said afterwards; "She is a well-bred filly and she handled that soft ground better than the others."
The winner cost 105,000 Guineas as a foal and 220,000 Guineas as a yearling.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee