McCann's filly runs Circles around them

A second winner on the card for Holy Roman Emperor, 8/1 chance Circles landed the second split of the seven-furlong handicap in emphatic fashion under Seamie Heffernan.

Coming from stall two, the winner tracked the leaders on the inner and gave chase to the pace-setting Scarlet Dancer from two furlongs out. Picking up well for a couple of smacks, Circles led just under a furlong from home and quickly put her stamp on the race. She scored by four lengths from The Cola Kid who stayed on from off the pace to edge Scarlet Dancer out of second spot.

Pipped over course and distance in November, the consistent winner had been no worse than fifth in five subsequent visits to Dundalk.

Heffernan stated afterwards that he had won on the winner's Ballydoyle-trained dam Circle, albeit the record books don't quite concur, with Joseph O'Brien being down as the winning rider when that Galileo filly won a Leopardstown maiden in 2012!

Winning trainer Anthony McCann said: "Absolutely (delighted to get her off the mark), a big thanks to the owners for sticking with her. A lot of people would have pulled out.

"They were consistent enough runs, but she wasn't getting there.

"Seamie was a wee bit disappointed the last night for not winning on her, the first time he rode her. He got off her and said he would win on her the next time.

"This was the first available race he was able to get on her. She was never going to stop with Seamie on her back!

"Hopefully there is (another one in her). As Seamie says, it is all about getting her head in front and now we have her head in front."

Quotes from Michael Graham