One Spirit powers home at Naas under Niall McCullagh© Photo Healy Racing
The first of three Listed races on the Naas card went the way of One Spirit who kept finding more in the final furlong of the Owenstown Stud Stakes to win by a length at 6/1.
Niall McCullagh was in the saddle and he kept the four-year-old daughter of Invincible Spirit up to her work to keep 4/1 joint favourite and treble seeking Gordon Lord Byron at bay in the seven furlong contest. Glor Na Mara kept on well in the final furlong to grab third place at 7/1 from Billyford beaten two and a quarter lengths in total.
Ger Lyons trained the winner and he commented: “That’s job done. She has a good pedigree and she’s a nice honest-to-goodness filly.
“She ran a cracker last week [second in a Group 3 over a mile at the Curragh on 26 May] and we just kept her fresh for today.
“She won in spite of the ground. It’s lovely ground, but just on the slow side for her. She’s best at seven furlongs to a mile on top of the ground.
“Whatever she does now is a bonus. She’s very straightforward and I’m delighted for [breeder] Frank Dunne and [owner] Anne Marshall.” Banna Boirche was the other 4/1 joint favourite for Mick Halford and Shane Foley. He finished seventh in the ten-runner field.
Michael Graham
