McCreery & Hayes take opener with Sophies

The opening race of the two day Curragh Oaks meeting, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over six furlongs, went the way of Sophies Echo for trainer Willie McCreery with Chris Hayes aboard.

The daughter of Footstepsinthesand had two runs to her name before today, finishing a well beaten tenth on her debut behind Gin Rummy at Down Royal before running a cracker on her last start when second at 33/1 just a length and a quarter behind Devotion.

Considering her last effort, her starting price of 12/1 today looked very generous and so it prove to be.

Leading early on, she was challenged two furlongs out and was narrowly headed by the second favourite at 9/4 and eventual runner-up, An Ghalanta However she battled back to dispute the running inside the final furlong getting on top close home to score by an neck at the line. Lanett Lady ran a nice race on her debut to take third a further two lengths back at 14/1 for Mick Halford and Johnny Murtagh.

The well fancied 13/8 favourite, Redoubtable for Kevin Prendergast was a beaten filly two furlongs from home and she trailed in a disappointing sixth of the eleven runners.

Winning trainer Willie McCreery said afterwards: "We were delighted with her run at Leopardstown. She is a big gangly filly and its great to win a maiden at the Curragh, although it is an ordinary day's racing.

"We will take our time with her now but she is maturing all the time."

Donal Murphy