Hanky Panky & Joseph O'Brien on their way to victory© Photo Healy Racing
Aidan O’Brien won this race, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden, in 2007 with subsequent four time Group 1 winner Peeping Fawn and the Ballydoyle maestro could have another Group 1 winner on his hands as Hanky Panky showed an impressive turn of foot to get off the mark on the fifth time of asking.
The daughter of Galileo is a half-sister to the mighty Giant’s Causeway and it has been well publicised that she needs a sound surface to be seen at her best.
She disappointed in the past on soft and heavy ground but on yielding to soft this evening she quickened up well to hit the front a furlong out, going on to score by a length and a quarter at the line.
The Kevin Prendergast trained Nabat Sultan (12/1) travelled strongly two furlongs from home but she couldn't match Hanky Panky and had to settle for second. Sharp Crisp Air who was backed from 7/2 to 5/2 on-course, finished three and three parts of a length back in third under Pat Smullen for Dermot Weld.
Joseph O'Brien said afterwards; "She relaxed well and she quickened up nicely. She is a nice filly but she needs good ground and that’s the best she’s had for a while even though it’s quite dead.
"The hood relaxed her a bit. She has been unlucky and we thought she’d win her maiden on slow ground even though she wants it better. A couple of things didn’t go right for her."
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
