Perhaps the latest Ballydoyle 'adverb winner'

The Aidan O'Brien trained Perhaps was made work hard to justify her 2/5 favourite's tag to win the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Fillies Maiden at Leopardstown today for the trainer's son Joseph O'Brien.

The sister to Battle Of Marengo looked on course for a comfortable win when looming alongside leader Tahaany entering the straight. However eventual runner-up and newcomer Chroussa made the winner work all the way to the line, with just a neck separating the pair at the line.

Aidan O'Brien stated “she was still green enough in front but I'm delighted with her. She needs to come on but I think she will as she's still only a baby.

She has the makings of a nice filly and we'll step her up slowly; she might go for something like the Silver Flash Stakes next.”

The over-worked crew responsible for naming the Ballydoyle horses are well and truly in their 'grammer phase' at present and Perhaps follows a long line of adverbs, adjectives, nouns and verbs to have run for Aidan O'Brien in recent seasons namely: After, Order, Where, Wrote, Along, Hail, Learn, Soon, Reply, Was, Say, Power, Kissed, Maybe, Though, Hasten, Offer, Exact, Along, Drops, Spin, Know, Up and Why.

By Thomas Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson