Artistic Melody hits right Killarney notes

For the second evening in a row Ger Lyons landed the opener at Killarney, this time with well-backed Artistic Melody in the first-time blinkers.

From a morning price of 9/2 she opened at 3/1 and was backed down to 5/2 favourite.

The Zoffany filly broke well and was sent into the lead by Colin Keane after a furlong of this extended mile maiden.

She was still travelling well sweeping into the home straight as one by one the pursuers came off the bridle in the final three furlongs.

She was ridden to assert a furlong and a half down and had the race put to bed at the furlong pole. Birds Of Prey (3/1) stayed on in second to get to within two and a quarter lengths of the winner. Aasheq (6/1) rounded out the places in third.

Ger Lyons said: "She was due that as I think a lot of her recent runs were trainer error. When I saw her run at Leopardstown, I was adamant she wanted to go further as she only got going on the line so I said she wants 1m2f.

"I stepped her up at Limerick and Roscommon but just didn't get home and Colin (Keane) said we had to take her back (in trip) and this was it today.

"I'm after banging a couple of quick races into her and she'll have a little break now but we always thought at home that she was capable of winning her maiden.

"She is straightforward and we'll concentrate on the mile but I don't think she's a black-type filly, which is unfortunate, but will pay her way for Vincent (Gaul) who is a great client of the yard."

Colin Keane added: "She has been hitting the crossbar lately so we dropped her back to a mile and put the headgear on her and let her bowl along. She did it well to be fair.

"I thought something was going to come to us because she was actually waiting for them but she's not a bad filly when she does it right. Hopefully there is more to come from her."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes