Yet another newcomer (after Roman Flight in the first and March On Rome in the second) made a winning debut at Limerick this evening as Kalabaya ran out a comfortable winner of the penultimate race on the card the Croom House Stud EBF Fillies Maiden for trainer John Oxx and rider Niall McCullagh.
This 3yo daughter of Sinndar went off the least fancied of the three Aga Khan owned runners in the race at 14/1. Her stable mate and runner-up Kastania went off the 3/1 second favourite, while the other Aga Khan runner Hesamiya who only managed fifth was sent off at 10/3 for Mick Halford.
The winner who holds an entry in the Irish Oaks was by far the most impressive winner of the day as she took up the running a furlong from home winning by four and a half lengths at the line.
Winning rider Niall McCullagh was recording his fourth success in the last three days, having recorded a double at Navan on Wednesday before scoring aboard One Spirit at Leopardstown last night.
Winning trainer John Oxx said afterwards: "I didn't have her for much of last year but she looked very well in the spring. She lost weight then and didn't thrive. Johnny (Murtagh) said that she would probably wake up for this run.
"She will go on any ground except heavy. She could be a good one. We have no immediate plans for her now."
