Pipes blows away Mile rivals

Fast improving filly Creggs Pipes blew away her rivals in the €120,000 Colm Quinn BMW Mile Handicap at Galway, completing a four-timer in the ultra competitive handicap.

The rain came in time for Andy Slattery's charge who followed up her Listed success at Killarney last time with a powered packed front-running performance.

Declan McDonogh 's mount had her rivals toiling in behind passing the two furlong pole and stuck on gamely in the closing stages to get the job done.

The well-backed 11/2 favourite, who was a big as 14/1 this morning, recorded a length-and-three-quarters success over English raider Top Notch Tonto who stayed on to fill the runner-up spot.

"She is a great filly to train, and has won her last four now which is not an ideal preparation for a premier handicap,” said Slattery.

“She's tough and Declan said she didn't handle the track and was hanging.

"She's in the Matron Stakes and we'll probably let her take her chance now. That will probably be her next race.

“She keeps improving and, while she goes on any ground, she loves soft ground.

"She loves racing, and if you leave her out in a paddock she will try to come out over the railing. She will be kept in training next year, and may go to Royal Ascot.

"We always felt she was a mile and a quarter filly, and she will step up to that trip next year. She has such a high cruising speed that she could make all over five furlongs."

The winner was bred by John Hayes from Tipperary Town and the winning Delphi Six Syndicate is made up from his family.

“They had her in Goresbridge at the breeze-up and couldn't sell her so sent her to me and I'm lucky to have her,” added Slattery.

McDonogh added on RTE racing:- “It's great. I don't know where she is going to stop improving. She's tough.

“I was in trouble for the first part because I had two hands on the right rein as she was hanging. Then on the last little bend then she realised she was going right-handed and she cocked on to the rail straight away.

“She's just so dogged tough. She's like a colt, she's not like a filly at all and has a bit of madness about her.

“It all went silent turning in and I thought 'she can't be winning that easy' but she won well. She has a bit of black-type already so maybe she could win another Listed.

“It was quite sporting of them to come for this they could have said we'll go for a Group 3 or something but it was nice to get the pot.

“Andy's brilliant with them and all his horses are running great.”

(Additional reporting by Alan Magee)