Open Market & Billy Lee beat Midnight Toker and Badb© Photo Healy Racing
Paddy Twomey looks to have another smart sort on his hands after Open Market made a winning debut in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden at Cork.
The Starspangledbanner filly, owned and bred by Newtown Anner Stud, went to post a 10/1 shot on her debut in the five-furlong contest.
She was a touch free early on and was soon prominent, under Billy Lee, holding a narrow lead at halfway.
Lee asked his mount for an effort over a furlong from home and she quickened up well before holding the late challenge of Midnight Toker by three-parts-of-a-length.
There was a further head back to Badb who also finished off well in third.
The winner is a full-sister to Great Wide Open, who won seven races and was Grade 1 placed in the US.
"That's my first runner for Newtown Anner Stud and we worked her once or twice and she showed us plenty,” revealed Twomey.
“She is forward going and onward bound and I was just hoping she was ready to start. If she put it together I thought she could win.
"Her brother was second in the Grade 1 Keeneland Mile, her mother is by Danehill and she has natural ability and we haven't done that much with her.
"She will be kept sprinting but if she strengthens up she could stay further."
(Quotes by Tom Weekes)
