Well-backed Rose takes the Stanerra The well-backed Wild Irish Rose got up close home to land the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Stanerra Stakes, completing a double on the card for Aidan O'Brien and Seamie Heffernan. Ridden on all her previous starts by Ana O'Brien, the daughter of Galileo recorded her first win at Fairyhouse on July 5th. Available at 5/1 this morning, she opened at 3s on-course, and eventually went off the clear 7/4 favourite. Settled towards rear, she was pushed along and raced wide into the straight, coming with her effort on the outer from the furlong pole. It wasn't until the final 50 yards that she got to the front, as she kept on strongly to score by half a length. Wingingit (4/1) couldn't hold off the winner in the closing stages, and she had to settle for second under Colin Keane for Noel Meade, while Tilly's Chilli (11/2) was three and a quarter lengths back in third for Colm O'Donoghue and Jessica Harrington. "It was great. Ana won on her the last day and the time before when she rode her she said she doesn't like getting hit and not to hit her," said O'Brien. "Ana rode her the last day in Fairyhouse and didn't hit her. Today she came with a lovely run but when Seamus gave her flick she didn't like it. "Seamus said she's coming right now so that was great. Seamus gave her a great ride but when he gave her a backhander you could see her react. I didn't know that about her until Ana said it. "Obviously she stays so she has a lot of options. She could go for the Park Hill in Doncaster, she looks that type of filly. "She quickened today. She's a very well-bred filly and is closely related to Islington." On Deauville O'Brien added: "He ran a great race. The plan is to go to the Arlington Million and I wanted to run him. He loves hard fast ground. "The winner is a good horse and had very good form. I thought he ran a very good race. "We needed to get a run between now and Arlington. We could have went to Ascot but it came up good to soft there. "We took a chance but he needed to run. I'm delighted with him." On his daughter Ana, O'Brien concluded by saying: "Everything is going good so far thank God." Additional reporting by Gary Carson
