Dark Skies is driven out by Billy Lee to beat Beauty's Forte and Fergal Lynch© Photo Healy Racing
The David Wachman trained Dark Skies made all to take the opener at Dundalk this evening, the Crowne Plaza Race & Stay Package Nursery Handicap.
The Gigginstown House Stud owned filly was well-beaten on her first three runs in maiden company, but she put in a much improved performance on her handicap debut, finishing sixth to Caso Do Lago (he could only manage sixth this evening) over the course last month.
Backed from 12/1 to 8/1 on-course, the winning Billy Lee ridden daughter of Invincible Spirit made all, and despite being pressed from under two furlongs out, she kept on well to score by a length and a half. Beauty's Forte was sent off the 9/4 favourite for Johnny Murtagh and Fergal Lynch, but she couldn't match Dark Skies in the final furlong, and she had to settle for second, while Mr Good Guy finished two and a half lengths back in third under Ronan Whelan for Eddie Lynam at 8/1.
Billy Lee said afterwards: "Her maiden form was decent. She got knocked down early on the last day, and I got her out today and she had a nice clear run.
"She is a nice filly and I’d imagine if there is a suitable opportunity that she could run again here over the winter."
The winner is out of Royal Devotion, who won the Listed Oyster Stakes at Galway in 2004 for Mick Halford, while she is a half-sister to Leaves You Baby, who won twice for Halford in 2011.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
