Leopardstown maidens: Somehow's War Front half-sister gets off the mark

The Aidan O'Brien-trained Happen, a War Front half-sister to the Group 2 winner Somehow, opened her account at the third time of asking with a last gasp victory in the opening Tote Irish EBF Fillies Maiden at Leopardstown on Saturday.

The filly, out of Oaks heroine Alexandrova, needed every yard of the seven-furlong trip and pounced late under a daring ride up the far-side rail by Shane Crosse.

She denied the Barronstown Stud-bred Morpho Blue, a daughter of Mastercraftsman trained by Jessica Harrington, who has enjoyed a fine year with another filly by the stallion in Alpha Centauri.

O'Brien came agonisingly close to a quickfire double in the following Tote Irish EBF (C & G) Maiden over the same trip, as the well-supported Turnberry Isle failed by a nose to overhaul the long-time leader Manjeer.

Fifth on debut at Gowran Park earlier this month, Turnberry Isle is the first foal to race out of the Group 1-winning Invincible Spirit mare Rosdhu Queen.

The winner, a Footstepsinthesand colt out of the Danehill mare Navajo Moon, was bought for €50,000 by his owner Marco Steinmann at last year's Goffs Orby sale.

Results and replays from Leopardstown