Inexperienced Eshera gets up on the line

Pat Smullen showed just why he's long odds-on to be crowned Irish champion flat jockey for the eighth time by getting Eshera up in a thrilling finish to the Platinum Stakes at Cork.

The Aga Khan's home-bred daughter of Oratorio won her maiden by over seven lengths at the Curragh last time but it was a much tighter affair in this Listed race. Seanie set the pace in this mile event but both Wychwood Warrior and Eshera went past the front-runner at the furlong pole.

Smullen had to get really serious on the 5/4 favourite in the closing stages, and it was virtually on the line that he got her head in front.

Just a head separated the pair, with Steip Amach finishing strongly to be only a short-head away in third. Akira didn't enjoy the clearest of passages but also came home strongly to be a further head back in fourth.

Winning trainer Dermot Weld's son Kris said, "She is a big filly and is still growing. She still has to grow into her frame and is inexperienced. We'll take our time with her."

Smullen commented, "The lack of experience against older horses nearly got her beat but the penny did drop and her raw ability came out in the last 100 yards. I think she'll progress and hopefully will step up to Group 3 now and another furlong mightn't go astray."

(TW & AM)