Easy to back Marsali impresses on debut

Marsali who was far from popular with punters, romped to an impressive success in the opener at Fairyhouse, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

Trained by Dermot Weld the daughter of More Than Ready (stands in Kentucky) was available at 6/1 this morning but opened on-course at double those odds.

There was some money for her at the track as she touched 10's but she drifted back out to 12/1 at the off.

Drawn widest of all in sixteen she broke smartly before being settled in mid-division by Pat Smullen.

She travelled well and made progress on the outer over two furlongs out, getting the front just over a furlong from home before keeping on strongly from there to score easily by three and a half lengths. Gussy Goose went off the 3/1 favourite (was 7/1 this morning) and she kept on in the closing stages to take second under Fran Berry for David Wachman, while As Good As Gold (5/1) was a short head back in third for Aidan and Joseph O’Brien.

Smullen said afterwards: "I thought she would struggle from a sixteen draw but she is obviously decent.

"She is a very sweet filly and there is a lot to look forward to with her. She has speed but she will go further than six furlongs."

The win was a second for Kentucky owners Calumet Farm with Dermot Weld, Hellenistic being their first at Limerick in April.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee