Promising Weld filly wins on debut

The Dermot Weld trained Emergent (4/1 - 3/1) made a fine winning debut at Navan today, landing the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Fillies Maiden under stable jockey and Champion Jockey-elect Pat Smullen.

The winning daughter of Oasis Dream quickened well along the running rail with a furlong to race and in the end stayed on well to hold off the late challenge of 11/8f Etched which had to be switched wide over a furlong out, by a length.

Weld wasn't present but his son Kris later stated "it's a maiden with a rich history so if she can live up to half of what some of her predecessors have done, she will be doing well.

"Her grandmother is Banks Hill (Breeders Cup Fillies and Mares Turf winner) so obviously with a page like that she could in time be very nice.

"She is a big, raw filly, and hopefully can make up into a Stakes filly next year. She enjoyed an ease in the ground."

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Alan Magee