Swerve blitzes her rivals to take the first

The 15/8 favourite Swerve ran out an impressive winner of the opening race on day two of the Listowel Festival, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden, for her trainer Dermot Weld with Pat Smullen in the saddle.

Having run well on her debut at the Curragh, finishing just over five lengths behind Crusade, the daughter of Oasis Dream disputed the lead for most of the race before hitting the front and kicking on from over a furlong out. She kept on strongly from there to record an easy eight and a half length win. Legal Peace fared best of the rest a long way back in second at 9/2 for Johnny Murtagh and Willie McCreery while Strike Action at 5/1 was a further two and three parts of a length back in third.

Winning jockey Pat Smullen said afterwards: "She came on from her run at the Curragh. She will be better on nicer ground and it was just a case of her outclassing them today.

"She is a really nice filly with a nice future ahead of her.

"The conditions are tough out there but it’s worst on inexperienced 2yo’s."

Donal Murphy