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Donal Murphy

Donal Murphy

'Funny lady' wins the 1000 Guineas Trial

Sun 12th May 2013, 15:52

Joseph O'Brien drives out Just Pretending to beat Hint Of A Tint on the outsideJoseph O'Brien drives out Just Pretending to beat Hint Of A Tint on the outside
© Photo Healy Racing

After winning her maiden at Navan last Tuesday, the Aidan O’Brien trained Just Pretending (6/1) followed up in the Group 3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown this afternoon.

Ridden by Joseph O’Brien, the daughter of Giant’s Causeway raced in third in the early stages behind the 13/8 favourite We’ll Go Walking.

The Jim Bolger trained favourite was headed two furlongs out and she quickly faded eventually finishing last under Kevin Manning.

Just Pretending took over in front two furlongs out and she kept on well from there to hold off the challenge of the David Wachman trained, Fran Berry ridden, Hint Of A Tint (6/1) by a neck at the line.

The Mick Halford trained Mizzava was a further two and a quarter lengths back in third under Shane Foley at the odds of 14/1.

Aidan O’Brien said afterwards: "She is a funny lady. She gives trouble at the stalls and needs to be loaded early.

"She has loads of ability and she showed that at Navan. She could go for the Guineas now and she might step up to a mile and a quarter. She is a fine big filly."

The winner is a half-sister to the Grade 3 winner in the US called The Leopard, who cost $2,500,000 as a two-year-old.

Additional reporting by Michael Graham

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.