Amber too good for Ballet Shoes

Liquid Amber impressively accounted for the odds-on favourite Ballet Shoes in the Group 3 Flame Of Tara Irish EBF Stakes.

Second to Punked on her debut over the course and distance just over a week ago, the Willie McCreery trained victor was sent off at 10/1 this afternoon.

Having raced mainly in fourth under Billy Lee, the successful chestnut took closer order from the two furlong pole.

She was ridden over a furlong out and soon got to the front, stretching clear in the closing stages to win by five lengths.

The aforementioned Ballet Shoes, who was returned at 2/7, had no answer once headed inside the final furlong, and she eventually finished second under Ryan Moore for Aidan O'Brien.

"You're a genius now when you run them back that quick! I really didn't want to do it but she bounced out of the race and they re-opened this race and I saw there were only 12 entries," said McCreery.

"There were only four or five trainers so I knew Aidan had a few entries and it might cut up.

"I was just hoping for a bit of black-type and it just shows you she came on a ton for her race the last day.

"She's a filly going forward and she's very well bred. Gerard Butler had the dam (Pachattack) in England and America and she won a lot of prize-money. The Niarchos' family bought her and I'm lucky to get her.

"She mightn't run again this year and we'll stick her into the Guineas for next year. She's going the right way and she's a lovely big scopey filly. I loved the way she stayed it out.

"We'll stick to the mile for the minute. That's what we'll aim at first and then work from there."

Aidan O'Brien said of Ballet Shoes: "Ryan said she just pulled up a little bit when she got there but the winner tracked her and went past her easy. She picked her up well.

"That might have been a good maiden that the winner was second in.

"It's a long way up there over a mile and you can be a sitting duck. Maybe she'll leave it behind her.

"Ryan said he knew when the winner arrived beside him he wasn't going to beat her. I don't think he even hit her as she was gone."

Additional reporting by Gary Carson