Bluebell bags valuable maiden win

Dixie Bluebell gained a winning bracket at Fairyhouse today as Group winner Smash Williams' sister landed the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden for trainer Jim Bolger, jockey Kevin Manning, and owner Joe Joyce.

Dixie Bluebell improved one placing on a recent Curragh handicap runner-up effort when edging past the Ger Lyons trained Offiah in the closing stages to score by three parts of a length.

Breeder Bolger helped improve the fortunes of Dixie Bluebell's sire Fracas by training Smash Williams to win the 2015 Group 3 Round Tower Stakes, and today the Galway-based stallion's owner Joe Joyce was successful with his sister, by Fracas, Dixie Bluebell.

Following today's win, Bolger's representative Ger Flynn stated “it’s great for the boss and Joe Joyce. She is a sister to Smash Williams so that’s a big win to get for her. Hopefully it’s onwards and upwards for her.

“She’s not winning out of turn. She was second up the Curragh the last day in a good handicap and it has just taken time to find the right ground for her. Seven furlongs seems to be her trip.

“At one stage Kevin was praying for a gap up the straight but it opened up and he had plenty of horse underneath him.”

Quotes from Alan Magee