Indigo Five and Wesley Joyce. © Photo Healy Racing
Johnny Feane added his name to the list of locally based trainers to send out winners on Derby weekend when his Indigo Five stayed on best under Wesley Joyce to land the Dubai Duty Free Summer Fillies Premier Handicap at the Curragh.
Dropping back to this trip for only the second time in her career, the daughter of Fast Company was well suited to a fast pace which favoured the closers.
Chris Hayes took the field along from the outset on race favourite Kayhana However, he looked to be there on sufferance over a furlong out as Rory Cleary arrived up to challenge on the strong travelling Profit Refused
With the latter going on inside the final furlong, for a few strides it looked as though veteran Curragh trainer Kevin Prendergast was going to enjoy a popular victory.
However, the three-year-old had no answer to the late burst of Joyce on Indigo Five, who led over 50 yards out, keeping on strongly to hold the late finished Plume Noire by a head.
Johnny Feane said: "I'm delighted for Ray (McSharry) and Jim Browne who bred her.
“She was tough, she battled out well. She'll be a better filly with a cut in the ground but she was very brave today.
“We had two seconds. Ano Syra just got touched off, she ran her heart out, and Greek Flower ran a blinder, the tactics on the winner paid off going up that new strip of ground.
“We could have had a great day but it's great to have one anyway.”
Additional reporing by Gary Carson.
