THE first running of Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic drew a good crowd to the Kilkenny venue and Jessica Harrington’s Fleur De Chine (9/1) ran out an emphatic winner under Shane Foley.

Foley had originally overlooked the winner in the €200,000 contest but was extremely happy he eventually teamed up with her in the course’s richest ever race.

Declared to ride stablemate Kinesiology before that colt was taken out on account of the soft ground, Foley replaced Siobhan Rutledge on Kirsten Rausing’s filly who hit the front over two furlongs out and defeated Galileo Dame by two and three- quarter lengths.

Stepping up

“She’s stayed every yard of that and will probably step up to a mile and a half,” said Harrington.

“I declared the two because we wanted good ground for the other fella (Kinesiology) and she’ll go on the softer ground. A little bit of ease is probably important. 

“She’s not very big but has a great attitude which is the main thing. It’s a nice pot to win and wherever she goes now it will be about blacktype.”

The winner receives an entry into the Irish Derby but Rausing is lukewarm on that idea.

Harrington said: “I said that to Kirsten and she said ‘Oh, I don’t think we should do that’; but I’d still put her in it and see what happens. If we have a free entry we might as well.”

Well able

Foley had earlier initiated a double on 40/1 chance Raw Ability in the Winton Fillies Maiden.

Trained by Eric McNamara for his daughter Kate, the Belardo newcomer tracked the leaders before coming with a well-timed challenge to beat Quatrain by a length and a quarter

Foley said: “In fairness the lads said that she was ready to start. She travelled through the race really well, picked up down at the furlong pole and stayed going.

“I could barely pull her up and there’s loads of improvement in her as well. I’d say she’s a bit better than a maiden.”

NOSTRINGSATTACHED (9/2) is an improving mare and made it three wins from her last four starts when taking the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap at Gowran Park.

The grey daughter of Markaz narrowly headed the front-running Star Kissed over a furlong out and held that rallying rival by a head in the hands of Robbie Colgan. 

Winning trainer Andrew Kinirons said of Jim Browne’s five-year-old, “We were slightly worried about the drying ground. She’s built like a tank and she means a lot to us and the Brownes.

Building up

“We are building up towards blacktype and I didn’t want to ruin her. I think she’s way stronger this year and can keep improving.

“She’s in the Group 3 Munster Oaks at Cork and if we got a bit of rain we might go there as we are building up to a mile and a half as well.

“We could also look at France and plan towards autumn and soft ground.”

Success to the fore

Inner Success (22/1) made all the running to win the Brian Dunlop Architects Kilkenny (C & G) Maiden.

Getting off the mark on his third start, Billy Lee’s mount accounted for Duraji by two and a half lengths.

The homebred gelding is by Kilbarry Lodge Stud resident Success Days who was a multiple stakes winner for owner Robert Ng and trainer Ken Condon in the middle part of the last decade.

Condon remarked: “His work has been consistent all spring and he was working like a maiden winner. Billy said he’s still a work in progress and was a bit lairy in front but he can gallop and could go a mile and a half.

“He was Success Days’ first runner and his first winner. Like father like son, he won his maiden here as a two-year-old.”

Onwards and upwards

Glor Tire (11/1), ridden by Rory Cleary for Jim Bolger, was another winner who raced prominently in the Lord Bagenal Inn Carlow Handicap. 

A maiden winner over course and distance on her previous start, Jackie Bolger’s Teofilo filly got to the front after a furlong and stayed on well to beat See Me Through by three and a quarter lengths. 

Stable representative Ger Flynn said: “Rory said he thought they were going no pace, so he decided to make it. She stayed really well here the last day and Rory wasn’t going to be caught up in traffic.

“She’s improving and hopefully it’s onwards and upwards for her.”

BY contrast, La Juliana (13/2) came from the back of the field to land the Sonix Entertainment Handicap under Colin Keane. 

The daughter of U S Navy Flag did well to land the spoils from the outside stall and had three-quarters of a length to spare over Moutarde.

Kevin Coleman trains the winner for Atomic Racing and said: “There was a lot of ground to make up and he never panicked. I’d say she loved it and got a bit of confidence.

“It was a great ride and it’s always a help to have that man on board.”

Fourth time lucky

Three times a runner-up at Gowran last year, Pink Socks (7/1) gained the first win of her career in the KCLR 96FM Apprentice Handicap. 

Amy Jo Hayes sent the Vadamos mare to the front over a furlong out and kept her going to beat Engines On by three-quarters of a length. 

Trainer Tim Doyle said of his wife Claire’s winner: “Amy Jo was second on her three times last year and she runs well for her.

“She goes on any ground; she’ll go on quick ground too, so we’ll tip away for the summer and maybe go hurdling as well as she jumps well.”