Violette makes the breakthrough in Leopardstown opener

Corporal Violette made it third time lucky in the opener at Leopardstown, the John R Fitzpatrick Agricultural Contractor Maiden.

Beaten by just a neck on debut last September, the Ger Lyons trained filly again filled the runner-up spot in the Irish EBF Auction Series Race Final.

Expected to make the breakthrough this afternoon, she was sent off the 4/6 favourite in the colours of Gaynor Bloodstock LLC.

Settled behind the leaders by Colin Keane, the Starspangledbanner bay was pushed along to challenge a furlong and a half from home.

She had a good tussle with All In The Mind in the closing stages and a head separated them at the line, with the Pat Flynn trained runner-up returned at 5/1 under Conor Hoban.

The front pair were a length-and-a-half ahead of the well-supported Yester (25s early, returned 9/1) in third.

"That was grand. She's still a bit timid and when I saw the one coming on the outside I thought 'this is what we wanted'," said Lyons.

"The plan was to attack wide and late and let her do it without frightening her. There is still a lot of growing to do mentally and anything else.

"She did a lot of growing from two to three and it's only in the last month she started showing us the ability that she showed at two.

"She'll go up to a mile now and by the end of the year she'll be running over a mile-and-a-quarter.

"She won't run on that ground again, she's a Starspangledbanner, and she needs a bit of juice. It's beautiful ground out there but it's still too quick for her.

"She won the race by pure ability and the further she went the better she was. I'd say there is a lot of improvement in her as she's very much a work in progress.

"The first furlong going to the start she was, as Colin said, tasty and he did very well to get her back. It could all have been lost there.

"It's a good start to the day. I'm delighted for the owners Rick and Catriona Gaynor, who are from Trim but live in America.

"They go back to America next week for the summer so it's great to get the winner while they are here."

Corporal Violette is from the family of Aussie Rules and was bought for 25,000 pounds at the Guineas Breeze-Up Sale at Tattersalls in April of last year.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson