Bunairgead & Ronan Whelan on their way to victory© Photo Healy Racing
Bunairgead made it third time lucky as she took the opening race at Leopardstown, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF 2yo Fillies Maiden.
Trained by Jim Bolger and ridden by Ronan Whelan, the daughter of New Approach was making her third career start today.
She finished third on her debut at Dundalk in August before finished second at the Curragh behind Magician on her next start.
Always prominent this afternoon she was third at the halfway stage and was travelling well in second in the early straight.
She hit the front a furlong and a half from home before going clear entering the final furlong and keeping on well from there to score by three lengths.
The Jessica Harrington trained Davanti finished second at 10/1 under Niall McCullagh while Lady Giselle was a further half a length back in third at 12/1 under Gary Carroll for John Joe Walsh.
The Aidan O’Brien trained newcomer A Star Is Born opened at 5/2 on track but drifted all the way out to 4/1 at the off and finished a disappointing thirteenth under Seamie Heffernan.
Winning trainer Jim Bolger said afterwards: "She is good. She is a nice filly and will come back her for the Guineas trial at the start of next year. I’d say she will stay a bit."
Bolger went on to talk about Champion Apprentice Ronan Whelan, saying: "He has had a very good year and he is a talented young man who is not afraid to work."
(Additional reporting by Gary Carson)
