Santa Monica (pink) comes to tackle the white-faced Butterflies© Photo Healy Racing
Santa Monica bounced back to her best to land the feature at Cork this afternoon, the Group 3 Munster Oaks Stakes.
Having got off the mark at Dundalk in May of last year, the Charles O'Brien trained bay ran well to finish second in the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh.
She was also second in a Listed contest at Gowran, finishing third in the Group 2 Blandford Stakes at the Curragh in September.
Her two runs this season were disappointing, and so she was sent off a 20/1 chance this afternoon with Billy Lee in the saddle.
Having raced mainly in seventh, she took closer order early in the straight, and was ridden in pursuit of the leaders from the two furlong pole.
She hit top gear with a furlong left to race, and edged to the front in the closing stages, going on to score by a neck. Butterflies finished second at 9/1 under Wayne Lordan for Aidan O'Brien, while the 9/4 favourite Glamorous Approach was another length and a quarter back in third for Jim Bolger and Kevin Manning.
Billy Lee said afterwards: "She was tough and we went a right good gallop. I didn't really travel all that well early-on until about five furlongs out but crept into the race.
"She had the experience and started to get to them then and has her job done now."
STEWARDS REPORT
The Stewards enquired into an incident in the latter stages where it appeared Flying Fairies was forced to check momentarily. Evidence was heard from the riders concerned. Having viewed the recording of the race and considered the evidence, the Stewards were of the opinion that any interference was accidental in nature and took no further action, other than to advise W.J. Lee to ride more carefully in future.
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
