'Exciting' Albula delights O'Brien on debut

Albula put in a professional performance on debut to win the opening juvenile fillies' maiden in Naas.

On paper this looked a particularly hot race and it was market leader Magical Lagoon who took the field along closely attended to by Dabana

Magical Lagoon came under a drive a furlong and a half out and was passed by Dabana with Albula winding up her challenge in third.

Albula soon moved into a threatening second and overwhelmed Daban in the final 100 yards. The Galileo filly kept on well to score by a comfortable length and a quarter at 12/1.

Dabana, who third on debut at Gowran Park, is going the right way and filled the runner-up berth at 5/1. James Barrett's newcomer Precocious Times (33/1 - 22/1) got up for third, beaten two and three quarter lengths by the winner.

Joseph O'Brien said: “She won nicely and Declan (McDonogh) gave her a lovely ride.

“We liked her at home, I'm surprised that she won but we thought she'd run a nice race. She's an exciting filly.

“She'll step into a Listed or Group race now.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson