Found wins Royal Whip & enters Arc picture

The Aidan O'Brien trained top class filly Found gained an overdue first win of 2015 when readily winning the three runner Group 3 Kilfrush Stud Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh today, under Seamie Heffernan.

The Group 1 winning juvenile had finished second on all three starts this year and while beaten at Group 3 level on debut, filled the runner-up spot in both the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes subsequently.

Today, Heffernan held the daughter of Galileo up behind leader Answered with outsider Highly Toxic never in contention in last.

Patient Heffernan seemed at pains to hold on to Found, who was contesting her first race over ten furlongs, for as long as possible before allowing her to quicken past Answered inside the final furlong for a cosy win.

Afterwards trainer O'Brien stated “that is the first time she has run beyond a mile, and we always felt she was crying out for it. The plan was always to keep her to a mile until Ascot, and then give a break. She could run in the Prix Vermeille or the Irish Champion Stakes next before a possible run in the Arc."

"You would have to be delighted with that for her first run back. She has plenty of pace, and over a mile she was probably getting there too early. Seamie gave her a lovely ride."

Ladbrokes later introduced Found at 14/1 for the Prix De l'Arc De Triomphe.

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Alan Magee