Fairy Godmother and Ryan Moore win for trainer Aidan O Brien and Owners Coolmore from Sparkling Sea Healy Racing© Photo Healy Racing
Despite having to overcome some trouble in running, the Aidan O'Brien trained juvenile Fairy Godmother quickened up impressively to win the Group 3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint Stakes at Naas.
In doing so, the 6/5f was completing an opening race treble for both trainer O'Brien and jockey Ryan Moore.
Runner-up to Sparkling Sea on her debut over course and distance last month, the daughter of Night Of Thunder was confidently expected to reverse that form here.
Held up by Moore in the initial stages as Barnavara made the running, the filly was travelling easily over 2f out, as California Dreamer came through on the far rail to take over in front.
As Colin Keane went in pursuit of the latter on Sparkling Sea, Fairy Godmother was momentarily caught on heels, forcing Moore to switch.
Sparkling Sea collared California Dreamer inside the final 50 yards but Fairy Godmother produced a remarkable turn of foot to mow both horses down right on the line.
Aidan O’Brien reported: “We thought that she would win the first day, but she was very green and obviously with a first time out two-year-old anything can happen. The filly that beat her is obviously a very good filly.
“Even though they went slow today the plan was to drop her in and teach her and we needed to find out what way to ride her in Ascot. Ryan said she’s very classy, gets six very well and as we saw and will get seven.
“I’d say she’s an Albany filly, that’s the way she looks. She will have learned a lot from today.”
Additional reporting by Alan Magee.
Albany 5/1 (from 10/1) with Paddy Power and Betfair
