McCreery delighted to supply Lordan with Group 3 winner on Epona Epona Plays (12/1) shrugged aside a Group Three penalty for her success in the Denny Cordell Lavarack Lanwades Stud Fillies Stakes at Gowran back in September to double up at this level in today’s feature at Naas, the Lodge Park Stud Irish EBF Park Express Stakes. Course and distance scorer and English raider Parent’s Prayer gave it a good go from the front. However the Willie McCreery-trained and Wayne Lordan-ridden Epona Plays was never far away. A most commendable finishing effort was delivered from the successful daughter of Australia under her ten stone two impost. She was too strong for Parent’s Prayer inside the last, going on to gain the day by a length and three parts. Sixteen to one chance Sziget will have delighted her connections, two lengths back in third. Epona Plays is owned by her breeder, Renzo Forni, and McCreery said: “I’m delighted to give Wayne a Group 3 winner and we go back a long way. He always rides to instructions. “I thought today that they were not coming from off the pace. The main thing with this filly is not to miss the break as she rears in the stalls but she jumped out smart today. “She’s a tough honest filly and is owned by a lovely man in Renzo Forni from Italy. He loves his racing and would love to be here. He bred her and this is the third daughter from the mare to get black type for him. “She’ll be entered in the Group 2 Ridgewood Pearl Stakes at the Curragh.” Reflecting on the earlier fare McCreery commented: “Up Helly Aa (6th in the 3.25) ran a lovely race. Billy just thought when they quickened he was caught in the ground a bit. It was a bit tacky for him but he finished out very well. “We’ll probably ride him differently, more aggressive from the start the next day. Hopefully he can build on that run.” (AM & EM)
