Up in trip, with money down — McManus filly lands gamble

Beyond Your Dreams performed exactly as anticipated in landing a significant gamble at Listowel as J.P. McManus's filly won the Kevin's Bar Listowel/Exchange Inn Handicap on her first attempt running over 1m 4f.

Thrice unplaced in sprints earlier this year, the three-year-old was claimer-ridden over 1m1f at Tipperary recently and today, upped further in distance under ex-champion jockey Declan McDonogh, started 2/1 favourite - having been 4/1 an hour earlier, and 12/1 overnight.

In the race, the Fastnet Rock-sired filly scored snugly from Saturday's Navan scorer Robbies Rock thus continuing the excellent recent record of winning trainer Joseph O'Brien.

O'Brien's representative Shane Crosse explained “she took a while to come to hand and Dec (McDonogh) said the step up in trip suited as she was still a bit green. She was good today and is progressing nicely.

“She is quite big, has been coming forward with every run and will only get better with racing. That trip suited.”

McDonogh added “there was the usual rush to the first bend and she didn't know enough to get into that hustle and bustle early. They then pulled up the pace going down the back straight so I was two lengths further back than where I wanted, but I eventually came out and kept it smooth, mooching forward.

“She is out of a Galileo mare so I didn't want it to turn into a sprint.

“She is a huge big unit and is obviously just coming into her frame. Hopefully she can step forward again and could have a back-end (to the season).”