A little over two lengths covered five of the eight runners at the finish in the opening Phoenix Of Spain Irish EBF Fillies Maiden at the Curragh. Dermot Weld’s newcomer A Ma Chere came home best to take top honours.

Oisin Orr did the steering on the Moyglare Stud Farm owned and bred daughter of Kodiac, and she touched off Palifico by a neck. The runner up had led narrowly in the final hundred and fifty yards after being switched right over two furlongs out.

“It's nice to get a two-year-old winner. The dam was very good, she was placed in Group Ones and was a group winner herself. This is arguably the nicest produce that she's had so far, physically," said Kris Weld representing his father.

“She's done it well. She was very green, I thought she was sure to win a furlong-and-a-half down but she was running all over the place. When the penny dropped you felt she was going to get there.

“I'd say another furlong will be appreciated in time. We'll step her up to stakes class now and see.

“She'll have learned an awful lot from that and she hit the line well, which is the main thing.”

R. Coakley, rider of Merry Maid trained by John C. McConnell, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount got a bit fractious in the stalls.

(GC & EM)