Ramone is ridden out by Shane Foley© Photo Healy Racing
Ramone sprang a 100/1 shock in the feature race at the Curragh this afternoon, the Group 2 Lodge Park Stud EBF Park Express Stakes, scoring under Shane Foley for Bill Farrell.
The five-year-old daughter of Marju had just one victory to her name before today winning a maiden at Leopardstown back in August of 2013.
She failed to score last season but was second in two handicaps and finished a decent fifth in the Listed Garnet Stakes at Naas in October.
Prominent throughout today she was second at the halfway point and was ridden two furlongs from home.
She came with her challenge over a furlong out and hit the front 150 yards from the finish, keeping on well to score by two lengths. Afternoon Sunlight (7/1) tried hard to peg back the winner but she had to settle for second under Pat Smullen for Dermot Weld while the front-running Amulet (25/1) was a further half a length back in third under Colin Keane for Eve Johnson-Houghton.
Bill Farrell said afterwards: "That's the first time she's got her ground. I always had faith in her, prepped her for today and just had to decide between this race and the Lincoln.
"She's a big, strong yoke, and the ground will control everything as to where she will run.
I've only six in training and that's my first Group race winner. I always said if I got black type I might retire!"
Shane Foley added: "I told Bill the other morning that she wasn't fit but she didn't half prove me wrong"
"She is a big strong filly and she absolutely loved the ground. Bill rang me on Tuesday morning and said she won't be in the betting but she'll run well and she'll grow a leg on this ground.
"She was unlucky last year and I wasn't expecting to win but she grinded it out well in fairness."
The last 100/1 winner in Ireland came way back in June of 2003 when After The Ball scored at Kilbeggan under Sean McDermott for John O'Shea.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
