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Ball Girl sheds her maiden tag

Ball Girl on her way to victoryBall Girl on her way to victory
© Photo Healy Racing

Ball Girl stepped up on debut second place to land the spoils in the fillies' maiden at Cork.

The even-money favourite broke well and then tracked the leader Beach Wedding

She travelled well for Colin Keane and moved to the front at the two pole. The Tagula filly soon went on and closed out the race by a length and three parts from Himmah (11/4) who kept on right to the line.

Beach Wedding came in third at 8/1, a further length and a half back.

Trainer Ger Lyons said: "It's horrible ground and she's learned nothing. She's dead honest and he kept it simple. She got very tired being out alone in front.

"We are in the winners' race at the Curragh this weekend. I thought we had to have an entry in it as it's a 30 grand race.

"We'll see how she comes out. The plan was that was just to be a piece of work to her tonight but the ground might have made it more difficult. We still have that as an option.

"We won't be in a rush stepping her up in trip. He (Colin Keane) said you would have no problem bringing her back in trip."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee

1st
1/1Fav
Tote €1.80 €1.02
2nd
1.75L
11/4
€1.02
3rd
1.5L
8/1
€2.20
4th
6.5L
33/1
About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.