Flagged (Colin Keane) beating Friendly© Photo Healy Racing
Flagged opened her account at the second attempt when making all under champion jockey Colin Keane in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Fillies) Maiden at Limerick.
The field was reduced to 12 after a number of rivals were taken out due to the drying ground (officially good), notably New York Angel and Ahandfulofsummers, and the three market leaders dominated the mile event.
Trained by Ger Lyons for Juddmonte, Flagged was sent off a 9/4 chance and, having come under pressure over a furlong out, kept on really well in the closing stages to beat 2/1 favourite Friendly by three quarters of a length. Windsor Pass finished a further length and three quarters back in third.
Assistant trainer Shane Lyons said, "We were worried about the good to firm this morning but they aerated the track and got the moisture back on top to get the firm out of it. It's plenty safe ground so between clerk of the course Val O'Connell and the Limerick team, they got it right.
"She wouldn't want it any quicker and will get further, she had to do it the hard way today. She's still green, her head was looking around, but it's only her second run.
"We like her and it's a bonus to get the maiden win out of the way - we'll build our season on that. She should progress and improve buckets for the run."
Flagged filled sixth spot on her debut behind Empress Josephine on much softer ground at Naas last month.
(TW & AM)
