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Michael Graham
Wat Ua Doin looks a decent recruit for Smith
Wat Ua Doin a wide-margin winner in Wexford
© Photo Healy Racing
Wat Ua Doin made every yard to come home clear in the opening mares' maiden hurdle at Wexford.
The five-year-old mare was a few lengths in front of the pursuers and Keith Donoghue got a breather into her approaching the home bend as the pursuers closed.
She then cranked up the pressure in the final quarter of a mile and scooted clear two out. She wasn't fluent there but landed clear. She jumped the last awkwardly but was well in command and won eased down by 15 lengths.
The daughter of Dylan Thomas was nicely backed from as big as 13/2 in the morning, to 10/3 on opening show before being returned at 5/2. Butterflyvespiere 2/1 joint favourite, was a remote second, some eight lengths ahead of Diaspora (8/1).
Donoghue said: "I ride a lot of work for Matthew (Smith, trainer) and she had been working well, so we fancied her today. We kept it simple and she won well. We were going to take a lead but nothing was making it and we got an easy lead. She jumped well and did it well.
"She will be one to look forward to when she gets over fences as well. She probably wants a bit nicer ground but she’d go on today’s ground as well.
"I don’t know how strong of a race it was but she gave me a nice feel.”
This was Wat Ua Doin's first start for Matthew Smith after switching from Vincent Ward's yard.
Additional reporting by Donal Murphy