Experience counts for Miss Qatar

Miss Qatar handled the prevailing soft to heavy ground in Fairyhouse as she got off the mark in the six furlong juvenile maiden on this her third outing.

Her two previous appearances for Jim Bolger came on good and good to firm at Leopardstown, where she finished sixth and fourth respectively.

In this assignment, she raced in a close second behind Comghairdeas and the pair had the spoils to themselves a furlong and a half out.

Miss Qatar was ridden over a furlong from home by Kevin Manning and the pair grabbed a narrow lead inside the final furlong. In the latter stages, she asserted her superiority to score by two lengths at 4/1. Comhghairdeas and Declan McDonogh received a runner-up prize at 3/1 with 25/1 shot Idyllic Acrylic coming home third on debut, beaten three and a quarter lengths by the winner.

“She had two good runs under her belt and I thought experience was key today,” Kevin Manning said.

“I had a lovely position and was tracking Declan as I felt he was one of the main dangers.

“I always thought were were on top in the closing stages. The ground out there is hard work and it's definitely soft.”

Travelling head lad Ger Flynn added: “Kevin said she is a genuine honest filly. She handled the track, broke smart, travelled and handled the ground which is horrible and gluey.

“Her two previous runs were a help experience wise. Kevin said it was hard to know what to make of the race but she won and she's a nice filly.”

The 11/8 favourite, Circus Ring was ridden along over three furlongs out in fourth and could make no impression as he finished in that spot, a further three lengths behind Idyllic Acrylic.

Circus Ring had been popular in morning trading from 15/8 to even money but was uneasy at the track as he drifted out to 11/8.

Seamie Heffernan replaced Donnacha O'Brien on Circus Ring as the latter felt unwell.

Miss Qatar holds an entry in next year's Irish 1,000 Guineas.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson