Sistine shines to open account

Sistine Madonna bounced out and made all for a convincing win in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden at Gowran Park.

Declan McDonogh grabbed the lead from his inside draw on the Dark Angel filly and she had her rivals at work passing the two pole in the seven-furlong contest.

The Joseph O'Brien-trained filly asserted over a furlong from home and the 9/4 shot galloped on strongly to beat 13/8 favourite Blazing Skies by three-and-a-half lengths.

Sistine Madonna, a full-sister to six-time winner San Andreas, had been mid-division in a Killarney handicap last time, which has thrown up plenty of winners since.

It was another home-bred winner on the card, this time for owner Guy O'Callaghan and a first in his own colours.

McDonogh said afterwards:- “It’s hard to peg them back on fast ground from the front today. She enjoyed the ground and I said I’d make it a bit of a test as I think she gets a mile.

“I don’t think she enjoyed the ground in Killarney, it was yielding to soft. She floated down to the start today and after going a furlong I knew we were in business and she was taking me all the way.

“The horses are flying and that makes it a lot easier.”

(Quotes by Alan Magee)