Angel Palm victory signals Moyglare aspirations

Horse Racing

Lyons’ Leopardstown winner set for sharp rise in class next month.

A tilt at Group One glory in the Moyglare Stud Stakes is next on the agenda for Angel Palm following an impressive display on her second career start at Leopardstown.

The Ger Lyons-trained filly was a hot favourite for her course-and-distance debut in mid-June, but had to make do with minor honours in fourth behind Jessica Harrington’s Oodnadatta.

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Angel Palm was the 6-5 market leader to reward those who kept the faith in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden – and it was impossible not to be impressed by the way she swept aside her rivals by three lengths in the hands of Colin Keane.

“She’s a nice filly. We were disappointed because they went no pace the first day, but the form is working out,” said Lyons.

“This is our better two-year-old filly, so we weren’t surprised to see horses come out of that race and win.

“She’ll go straight to the Moyglare now. Colin said she’d appreciate another furlong and said that ground is as quick as she wants it. It’s beautiful ground, but on the quick side of good.

“Hopefully, all going well, it’s off to the Moyglare with her now.”

Pista returns to the Leopardstown winner's enclosure
Pista returns to the Leopardstown winner’s enclosure (Gary Carson/PA)

Joseph O’Brien’s Pista came from last to first to claim Listed honours in the Vinnie Roe Stakes

An impressive winner of a Galway Festival maiden, the 14-1 chance faced a big step up in class, but was produced with a withering late run by Shane Crosse to get up and beat Sunchart by half a length, with odds-on favourite Dawn Patrol a close-up third.

O’Brien’s assistant Brendan Powell said: “I thought for one minute that it didn’t look like she would finish anywhere, but Shane said she stayed very well and hit the line well.

“She’s improving all the time – she’s still a bit green, and I think there is more to come out of her.”

O’Brien doubled up with Lampetia in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap, with 7lb claimer Mikey Sheehy the winning rider.

Jessica Harrington and Shane Foley teamed up to land the Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Maiden with 11-8 favourite Fly Girl.

Fifth on her debut at the track, the daughter of The Gurkha found the necessary improvement to score by half a length from Messidor.

Harrington said: “She had a nice run here the first time – but I ran her over a mile, and I don’t think she really got home.

“Shane said she was pretty green in front today, but she did it well.”

The Harrington-Foley combination completed a quickfire double with 9-1 shot Pixel Power in the following Leopardstown Handicap.

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Jessica Harrington Ger Lyons Colin Keane

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