Neptune Rock (nearest)© Photo Healy Racing
A regular in stakes races since winning a Leopardstown maiden last year, Neptune Rock got her big day in the Edmund & Josie Whelan Memorial Listowel Stakes.
The daughter of Muhaarar had only a few of the 16 runners behind her turning for home but flew home down the outside under Shane crosse to beat fellow closer Venice Biennale by half a length. In a blanket finish, third home Casanova was just a nose further back in third.
Joseph O'Brien trains the winner for Michael O'Flynn.
Assistant trainer Brendan Powell said: "She is always threatening to do it but when she got so wide on the bend, I thought it would be hard to make the ground up. Shane (Crosse) said she does finish and said even though she went wide, it was an uncomplicated run all the way.
"She didn't jump as slow today as she can do but to come around them and win is a hell of a performance.
"She had been finishing fourth and fifth, getting beaten narrow margins in these races so it is great she has a black type win now. She's a genuine little filly, tries and it is great to get that as Michael is a breeder."
Quotes from Tom Weekes
