Stars a good favourite to start

Without the hood she wore on her previous couple of appearances, Red Stars justified heavy market confidence to justify 11/8 favouritism in the opening Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Median Auction Fillies Maiden at Roscommon.

The successful daughter of Manduro, owned and bred by the Newtown Anner Stud team, was never far away and she asserted her superiority, in the hands of Declan McDonogh, from a furlong out.

She had two and a half lengths in hand over the promising newcomer, Lady Valeur (40/1), at the line.

"She was entitled to win that. She was a bit keen early on but she is learning to relax and we took the hood off her today," explained winning trainer John Oxx's assistant 'Slim' O'Neill.

"I'd say she is finished for the year now. She needs to fill out a bit but she is promising and should get a mile and a quarter to a mile and half."

C.R. King, rider of Predilecta trained by J.P. Murtagh, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount ran short of room about two furlongs from the finish.

(DM & EM)