Oyster could be on the menu for Massinga

The Oyster Stakes at Galway next month could well be on the agenda for Massinga after the Aga Khan home-bred justified odds-on support in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap at Leopardstown. The 8/11 favourite needed to be driven along by Pat Smullen but she came home strongly in this nine-furlong event to beat Sea Coast by three quarters of a length.

Laviniad was a further two and three quarter lengths back in third. Winning trainer Dermot Weld said, “It was a good, workmanlike performance and a good, strong ride by Pat. “I decided to drop her in trip (won a maiden over 1m4f at Galway) to teach her and sharpen her up. We’ll be looking for black type with her now, and the Oyster Stakes is the most likely race as it is a fillies only race now.”