Duchess has snow worries at Gowran

The ex-Joanna Morgan trained Duchess Andorra was a topically named winner on the snow at St Moritz in February and followed up that famous win with another for her new trainer Johnny Murtagh in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Fillies Handicap at Gowran today.

The daughter of Duke Of Marmalade was Morgan's last winner as a trainer at the famed snow circuit in Switzerland and seemed in rude health again today, staying on gamely in the straight for a two and a quarter lengths win over Sparkle Factor

Murtagh, who finished second in yesterday's Charity Race at Limerick, subsequently went off to help his staff with the Niall McCullagh ridden winner.

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Alan Magee