Devonshire strides clear to win the Listed race© Photo Healy Racing
Devonshire gained a deserved win in pattern company when justifying favouritism in the Edmund & Josie Whelan Memorial Listowel Stakes.
The Godolphin-owned filly was placed twice in Guineas Trials on testing ground before taking third behind Pleascach in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas.
The well-backed 2/1 favourite was sent to the front approaching the straight in this nine-furlong Listed contest, and soon asserted under Billy Lee.
The Willie McCreery-trained filly kept on really well to beat Alive Alive Oh by four and a half lengths, with the front-running outsider Queen Of Alba holding on for third a further neck adrift.
McCreery said, "She's a real tough little filly, and I'm delighted to get her head in front in Graded company. She really deserved that. She doesn't quicken off a strong gallop but needs a strong gallop, so we wanted to ride her prominently.
"We knew Queen Of Alba would go forward so the plan was to sit behind her. Things worked out today and the ground was to her liking as well.
"She's very honest, had run well early in the year on soft ground and will now step back to Group 3 company. Bill (Lee) said she might get a mile and two.
"Things just didn't work out the last day and today Bill had to go to the front (as early as he did) because she was tanking with him.
"She's worth a lot more now; I hope she'll come back next year."
(TW & AM)
