Michael Graham
Lee rides first winner for O'Brien on Exactly
Exactly, purple cap, wins by a head
© Photo Healy Racing
There was plenty of money throughout the day for once-raced Exactly (15/8f) and it proved well founded in the opening juvenile fillies' maiden.
Aidan O'Brien 's Frankel filly left a debut ninth at the Curragh firmly in the rear-view mirror with this display.
Seamie Heffernan was keen to utilise 80-rated Queens Fury s experience and, once she got to the front, she set a quick pace in this extended 7f contest.
She was some five lengths plus clear sailing past the three pole. The closers began to reel her in a furlong and a half down, though, and it was Exactly and Chantez who arrived on either side of her inside the final furlong.
Exactly availed of a seam along the rail, but it was Chantez on the outer who lead narrowly with 150 yards to race. Exactly found for Billy Lee, though, and got her head in front in the closing stages.
She kept it there to win by a head from nicely-backed Chantez (11/2 - 3/1) who showed lots of ability on debut. Queens Fury dropped three and a-quarter lengths away in third at 8/1.
Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “Wayne (Lordan) rode her the first day at the Curragh, just nothing happened for her as she got stuck in traffic and it was just really a non-event.
“She had come on nicely at home since then. Billy gave her a lovely ride, Seamus went quick in front and it was tough for her to peg him back.
“She got a lovely split up the rail and, in fairness, she went for the gap, stuck her head down and really tried.
“She's going to be a lovely filly for the back half of the year, maybe something like the Debutante or Flame Of Tara.
“She'll appreciate going up to a mile and is one to really look forward to.
“It's nice to get that win out of the way and it's Billy's first winner for Aidan, it wasn't a bad one to get.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson