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Donal Murphy

Donal Murphy

Spirit makes it two on the bounce

Sat 25th Aug 2012, 14:34

Awakened Spirit goes clear under Wayne Lordan from Sherzam in secondAwakened Spirit goes clear under Wayne Lordan from Sherzam in second
© Photo Healy Racing

The David Wachman trained Awakened Spirit followed up on her recent success at Tipperary as she took the opener at the Curragh this afternoon, the Wuhan Goodwill Cup Nursery Handicap.

The daughter of Fracas (second winner for that sire from four runners) finished fifth on her debut at Pontefract in June on good ground but won her maiden on her second start at Tipperary earlier this month on soft to heavy.

On soft to heavy ground again today she made virtually all and asserted from over a furlong out, keeping on well to score by a length and a half at the finish under Wayne Lordan.

The Tommy Carmody trained Sherzam ran her best race to date to finish second at 8/1 under Ben Curtis while Monakova was a further two and a half lengths back in third under Pat Smullen for Willie McCreery at 14/1.

The winner was returned the 7/2 joint favourite having opened at 11/2 with Paddy Powers this morning and at 9/2 on track. Where for Aidan & Joseph O’Brien was the other 7/2 joint favourite but she could only manage a disappointing eighth.

Winning trainer David Wachman said afterwards: "She is quite a nice filly and she is straight forward. She is running over a trip that is a bit short for her but she is improving all the time.

"She definitely wants better ground and her class got her through. There is plenty of stakes races and she’ll have to try her hand in them now."

(On-course reporting by Gary Carson)

1st
7/2JFav
Tote €5.00 €2.40
2nd
1.5L
8/1
€3.20
3rd
2.5L
14/1
€4.90
4th
2L
9/1
bf
4.5L
7/2JFav
About Donal Murphy
Donal graduated from Maynooth University in 2010 with a BBS in Equine Business and since attained a diploma in Sports Journalism from Dublin Business School. He holds a variety of roles in the horse racing industry, reporting for the Press Association and p2p.ie, while also working for SIS and the Tote. From Wexford, he is a keen runner and has completed over 100 parkruns at various locations around the country.