Enfranchise (centre) and Gavin Ryan © Photo Healy Racing
Enfranchise provided Shark Hanlon with his first Listed winner on the Flat when taking the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Vintage Tipple Stakes in fine style at Gowran Park.
The six-year-old daughter of Invincible Spirit signed off last season when second in the Listed Oyster Stakes at Galway but was sent off a 16/1 chance on her seasonal debut. Vischio set the pace in this 1m6f event and was headed early in the straight by Countess Of Tyrone but Enfranchise made steady progress to strike the front about a furlong out.
Gavin Ryan ’s mount kept on strongly to beat Countess Of Tyrone by two lengths with Joupe half-a-length back in third.
Hanlon said, “She is a filly that we always thought a lot of. She won the Oaks last year in Down Royal and she loves that ground, she galloped them into the ground.
“I thought she’d run well but didn’t know if she was fit enough. She was doing everything right at home.
“I think she’s better over two miles and I’d definitely go up in trip rather than down in trip.
“There is a hurdle race in Galway that we have picked out for her and there are plenty of Group races on the Flat. She loves soft ground and I think the Group 1 Cadran in France would suit her.”
