Tested (right) is driven out by Pat Smullen to beat Sparrow and Joseph O'Brien© Photo Healy Racing
Tested made a winning debut in the opener at the Curragh this afternoon, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF 2yo Fillies Maiden, scoring under Pat Smullen for his boss Dermot Weld.
The Khalid Abdullah owned daughter of Selkirk was 4/1 this morning with Paddy Power, but she opened on-course at 13/2 before being supported into 5/1 at the off.
Having chased the leaders for most of the contest, the white-faced victor came with her challenge over a furlong out, hitting the front at the furlong pole, keeping on well under pressure from there to score by a length and three parts. Sparrow who led over a furlong and a half from home, couldn’t match the winner in the closing stages, and she had to settle for second for Aidan and Joseph O’Brien at 5/1. Dance With Another finished three lengths back in third under Seamie Heffernan, also for Aidan O’Brien, while the 9/2 favourite Eriniya finished a disappointing eleventh under Declan McDonogh for John Oxx.
Dermot Weld said afterwards: "She is unquestionable a stakes filly for next year. I doubt that she will run again this year as she is still very immature.
"There is a listed race back here in two weeks time (the Staffordstown Stud Stakes), but I think I’ll probably run the Prince Khalid Abdullah filly who won in Listowel (Lanyard) in that race.
"She was a bit green early and the race was also quite rough early on."
After the race Paddy Power introduced the winner at 25/1 for next years 1,000 Guineas.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
