Baciata returns to winning ways In McCalmont

Jessica Harrington's Bocca Baciata returned to winning ways at Gowran today in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Victor McCalmont Memorial Stakes but did so in hair-raising fashion as her jockey Colm O'Donoghue eased up dramatically in the closing stages.

Bocca Baciata, a daughter of recently deceased Big Bad Bob, moved into contention from two furlongs out and stretched clear of her rivals with a furlong to race.

However O'Donoghue eased the high class filly right down with 50 yards to race, allowing faster finishing Discipline close the margin markedly passing the line. The verdict did go the 6/4 favourite's way though, scoring by a head.

Harrington later stated “I'm delighted with her, and Colm said she put it to bed quickly. I don't know where she will go next but she's in plenty of races.

'The Curragh was a non-event the last day as she couldn't pick up on the ground but she's a lovely big filly and has really come to herself.”

The win was the first at Stakes level for the new Harrington/O'Donoghue pairing, who combined for their first winners together at Limerick yesterday, with a double.

Bocca Baciata's, which filled fifth in the 2015 Irish 1,000 Guineas, previous win was in the Group 3 Dance Design Stakes at the Curragh last August.

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Alan Magee