Andalusian Star justifies strong favouritism in maiden

Andalusian Star justified strong 8/13 favouritism (morning 6/4) to win Dundalk's Gateway Hotel Dundalk Race & Stay Fillies Maiden on her reappearance run today, despite racing quite green.

The once-raced daughter of Invincible Spirit had previously finished seventh in a Leopardstown maiden last July and today made all and while she raced keen early-on and green at the finish, held runner-up Pepper Noir by 1.25 lengths.

Winning trainer Joseph O'Brien wasn't present and winning jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle said “she was very green as you can see - I just had to keep her up to her work the whole way. It is not ideal sometimes when they are that green and you have to make the running.

"I felt like she was the best in the race and she went on in the final furlong, and was only just doing what she had to do. I always felt I had them covered, but it was just a case of keeping her up to her work and keeping her straight.

"She has galloped out through the line well and she is definitely a filly that is going to progress a lot from that. It has been a while, so it is nearly like her first time up again."

Quotes from Michael Graham