Maxine O'Sullivan won the Ladies maiden at Tramore on Filey Bay. © Photo Healy Racing
Recent Galway Hurdle fifth Filey Bay made a successful return to the flat when running out a comfortable winner of the Coast To Curragh August 26th Charity Cycle (Ladies) Maiden at Tramore.
A dual winner over flights last year, the Emmet Mullins trained gelding had been placed in both the Betfair and County Hurdles this term but disappointed on his flat debut at Roscommon last month.
While that latter race was clearly just a prep for Galway, it was still a moderate run, particularly given his strength in the market.
Those supporters who took the short odds here never had too many anxious moments as Maxine O'Sullivan (the winning trainers partner) always looked comfortable throughout the race, before coming through to take over from Man O Work and Banntown Girl inside the last furlong.
Emmet Mullins said: "That was great. It was probably a bit short for him at Roscommon and he was on the back on a break. He definitely took all of the two-miles to get going here today. He has had a tough campaign and has been placed in a lot of big competitive races, the Betfair Hurdle, the County Hurdle, the Galway Hurdle.
"He has been in a lot of dogfights and it's great to see that enthusiasm still in him coming up the hill today. That win should put him in a great frame of mind, but where we go from here, I don't know. He has opened up another avenue now and he'll mix it I'm sure. The horses are running well and it's good to see.
"He needs three runs on the level to get into any of the big flat handicaps coming up and with the entries closing soon we won't rush another run with him. We will get him home and see. There could be a handicap hurdle at Listowel for him. He has loads of options and if we look after him, hopefully he will keep repaying us.
"It's Maxine's first winner on the track for me. I told her to go out and ride him with loads of confidence and she surely did. Sometimes it's hard to do the simple things right, but she executed it beautifully."
Additional reporting by Donal Murphy
