Divine makes all in Listowel opener

Grecian Divine got off the mark on her eighth start, as she took the opener at Listowel, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

Having ran some good races in defeat, the Denis Hogan trained Kodiac filly disappointed on her last start at Navan when cheekpieces were deployed for the first time.

The cheekpieces were left off today, and she went off a 4/1 chance in the colours of owner Martin Burke.

Sent straight to the front by Pat Smullen, she made all, keeping on well under pressure from a furlong out, going on to score by two lengths. In Somno finished second at 3/1 under Kevin Manning for Jim Bolger, the while well-backed Lady Ravenna (33's last night and from 20's to 10's on-course) was another length and a quarter back in third under Billy Lee for Joe Murphy. Ice Cold In Alex was sent off the 11/4 favourite, and he finished a disappointing fifth under Shane Foley for Ken Condon.

Denis Hogan said afterwards: "She is smart and has a nice pedigree but I thought she would have won her maiden a long time ago. She was fourth to Roly Poly but had an accident after that and it knocked her back a month or more.

"She is lucky to be alive as she had an accident with the walker and had a lot of stitches around her head. Ger Kelly and the people at Fethard (Veterinary Clinic) deserve a lot of credit.

"It's good to get her back, she's a good filly and had to be tough to get through that ground."

STEWARDS REPORT

Brendan W.Duke, trainer of Little Miss Willow reported to the Clerk of Scales that his charge never travelled throughout this race.

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes