Kerisa gets Oxx & McDonogh off the mark

Kerisa just held off the late surge of Say to take the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies 3yo Maiden, providing her trainer and jockey, John Oxx and Declan McDonogh, with their first win of the 2013 flat turf season.

The daughter of Azamour ran four times last season over trips of seven furlongs to a mile and she was placed on three of her four starts.

Stepped up in trip to a mile and a quarter this evening, she was sent off at 7/2 (was 9/2 this morning with Paddy Powers) and she settled in second behind Etesian who attempted to make all for Paul Deegan and Chris Hayes.

Kerisa then hit the front a furlong from home as Etesian weakened and she just held off the late challenge of the 9/4 shot Say (was 5/1 this morning with Paddy Powers) & Joseph O’Brien (carrying a pound overweight) to win by a short head at the line.

The well-bred Sharp Crisp Air ran a fine race on her debut to finish a length and a quarter back in third for Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen while the Jim Bolger trained Scintllula (opened at 4/5 with Paddy Powers this morning but drifted out to 11/8 favourite at the off) could only manage a disappointing fourth.

Jimmy 'Slim' O'Neill said afterwards: "I was a little bit worried about the ground. For a furlong or so she didn’t let herself down.

"She has been working well at home on artificial surfaces and I think she will improve as the ground gets better.

"She is a filly that might get some blacktype. She is from a quick family but she is by Azamour and she stays and relaxes.

"It’s nice to get the jockey off the mark and for us to get off the mark as well."

(Additional reporting by Gary Carson)