ON her first start at seven furlongs, Ocean Jewel (16/5) had more than enough in reserve to hold off all rivals and claim a valuable win in the Group 3 TRI Equestrian Ballycorus Stakes for Billy Lee and Willie McCreery, the feature contest at Leopardstown on Thursday evening.

The daughter of Sioux Nation ran really well to finish a close third to The Antarctic in the Lacken Stakes over six furlongs on her seasonal debut, and she pleased her trainer by settling well in second in this race, tracking the leader Agartha. Lee sent her on at the two-furlong marker and though she had a three-way challenge in behind, she kept on to win by a length and a quarter.

The only three-year-old in the field, the Al Shira’aa Farms-owned filly was having just her fifth ever start, so connections will be hopeful she can get higher again.

“She is a lovely filly, has done nothing wrong,” McCreery said. “That was her first time at seven and Billy said she hit the line very well. I love the way she settled. They went at a good honest pace and she quickened off it on lovely ground.

“The world is our oyster, we’ll take our time with her. She has options at six and seven furlongs now but it was very important to get this Group 3. Hopefully she can keep stepping up.”

Bella

The opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden went to Paddy Twomey’s Bella Blue Eyes (11/4), who broke well from stall 10 to take up the lead and make all for Billy Lee.

She held a one-length advantage coming into the straight and always looked to be holding the challenge of firstly Gypsy Woman and the eventual second Eternal Silence.

“I think she is a nice filly and she will keep on improving,” Twomey said. “She had a good run last year and just got a setback after it. She was drawn 20 of 20 here the last day. Mine usually come forward from their first run. She will stay a mile but Billy said she was very comfortable over the seven there.”

The concluding one-mile-seven-furlong Bulmers Live At Leopardstown Handicap featured a ready winner in Joseph O’Brien’s Sea Oscar (5/1). The daughter of Sea The Stars and half-sister to Greenland raced prominently for Dylan Browne McMonagle, took an outright lead after six furlongs, and kicked away from his rivals early in the straight to win by three lengths.

Previously trained in France, this was her fifth start for O’Brien, and in truth she had been disappointing, however she was winning here off a lowly mark of 52, so has plenty of room for upgrade and remains unexposed over this distance.

A penny for the thoughts of Colin Keane as he walked out of Leopardstown on Thursday night, having ridden a double on the card but picked up a seven-day suspension for improper riding. Considering he will now miss the Irish Derby Festival, it was probably a case of more bitter than sweet.

The incident which led to his suspension came in the Keywest Handicap over one mile. Keane, riding Mobilise (4/1 favourite) for his boss Ger Lyons, had to extricate his mount out from the rail and went for gap between runners which resulted in his mount hanging into Lady Christa.

Notwithstanding, it was a race-winning move on the Juddmonte-owned colt, who eventually kicked on between Free Flow and Get Set Jet to win readily.

A full brother to the multiple Group 2 winner Threat, Mobilise was described as “a real project” by Lyons after he scored here off a mark of 66 and may go to Down Royal next Saturday for a 10-furlong handicap.

Keane doubled up on Jarlath Fahey’s Complete Fiction in the Leopardstown Golf Course & Driving Range Handicap, landing a fair touch in the process. Triona Burbage’s gelding won this race last year and just like he did on that occasion, he came off a lay-off to score, having been supported from prices as high as 14/1 into an SP of 4/1.

Colin Keane held up the son of Make Believe in rear, before coming down the centre of the track in the straight to win well. It was a fine training performance by Fahey.

First time

Amanirenas (8/1) showed a bit of life for the first time this season when running on from an unpromising position to finish fifth at Fairyhouse and she again prospered from a held up position to take the seven-furlong Leopardstowm Members Apprentice Handicap for James Ryan and Michael Grassick.

The Renata Coleman-owned filly made all her ground towards the outside and always looked a threat coming down the centre in the straight, eventually getting comfortably on top of the long-time leader Invincible Larne.

SHEILA Lavery, subject of outrageously harsh criticism from Australian Bloodstock’s Luke Murrell following the sale of New Energy to that group, was laughing after Vidala (20/1) managed to secure the first division of the Leopardstown Golf Course & Driving Range Handicap.

In a race of changing fortunes late on, the Spyglass Syndicate-owned filly flew home on the outside for Robbie Colgan, getting up to beat Tara Power and Rampage by a short head and head respectively.

“That is hilarious,” Lavery said. “It’s the only way to describe it. We really liked her as a two and three-year-old but she couldn’t finish off her races. We got her X-rayed, on-board scoped, gave her time in the field but we couldn’t find anything. We thought she may have even had asthma.

“I tried to sell her as a riding horse and then I had somebody come in that wanted to ride, so she was perfect - she is real quiet. So we brought her back into work, then she started to train really well and hey presto!

“She just needed time. I got the syndicate into another horse because I told them we were retiring her so now they have two horses in training. How cool is that?”

Having spent the last 15 years training in France, Eoghan O’Neill moved back home to set up on the Curragh and he saddled his first winner since that return, when No Niki No (12/1) made all for Declan McDonogh in the nine-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap.

She was one of a number of horses who travelled back from France with O’Neill, and it was fitting she provided her trainer with a breakthrough win given she has been a fine servant - this was her seventh win on her 36th start.

“It’s great to get that first win,” O’Neill said. “She is really reliable, a good solid, tough and sound filly. She jumped the road early and Declan said he was nearly a goner. I don’t know where she will go next but we could have a look at the seven-furlong fillies’ handicap at the Curragh on Irish Derby weekend.

“We have 28 horses as of today and we’ve a few fillies I kept on and they will be out soon.”