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John O'Riordan

John O'Riordan

Boogie Time for Heffernan and O'Brien at Navan

Sat 2nd Sep 2023, 16:24

Time To Boogie and Seamus Heffernan win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden. Time To Boogie and Seamus Heffernan win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.
© Photo Healy Racing

Time To Boogie made up for a disappointing odds-on flop at Gowran Park last time when staying on best under Seamie Heffernan to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies & Mares Maiden at Navan.

A daughter of Quality Road, the Aidan O'Brien trained filly had made a promising racecourse debut at the Curragh as a juvenile, before blotting her copybook on her reappearance.

Prominent throughout under Heffernan, the filly headed long time leader Finsceal Go Deo over a furlong out before keeping on strongly to win by two-and-a-half lengths.

The latter battled on bravely to hold the runner-up spot, with a staying on Randall Poets Lass back in third.

Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: "(Before) Gowran the last day she had been off for a fair length of time, she got a hold-up early in the spring.

"She had a good run at two in a good maiden and it stood to her.

"She stepped forward nicely in her work.

"She's in the Denny Cordell (Group 3 at Gowran Park) in two weeks, it might come a bit quick for her. She could go for something like the Garnet or the Bluebell at Naas in five or six weeks time.

"She's a nice filly, a big filly and she is coming along each week.

"It didn't happen for her the last day at Gowran, so we just put a line through it. Her work has been solid since."

When asked if the juice in the ground today helped her, he replied: "Definitely helped and Gowran was probably on the quick side. An ease in the ground and a mile, mile and a quarter is her trip."

Additional reporting by Michael Graham.

About John O'Riordan
John has worked for the Press Association since 2022. He also writes a weekly column for The Irish Field and is a regular contributor to the Irish Racing Yearbook. He has previously written for the Racing Post, Irish Examiner and Irish Daily Mirror. He has been involved in racing for over three decades; having experience as a syndicate member, sole owner and breeder.