'She always promised to do that' - Dragon wins at 13th attempt for Murtagh

Saturday: Gowran Park

Quick ground ensured being in front early was crucial as four of the first five winners made all, while the other front-runner was caught close home.

The victory of 12-1 shot Shanghai Dragon in the 1m fillies' handicap probably summed it up. She had failed to win on any of her previous 12 starts, and trainer Johnny Murtagh admitted afterwards he thought she was struggling off her mark of 76.

But rider Shane Kelly got her to the front early and she held on to win by a neck from Any Dream Will Do, although it would probably have been a different result had the runner-up got any sort of a clear run.

Murtagh said: "I thought being on 76 was a bad rating but the visor really helped her. The last day at Tipperary she missed the break and never got into the race. Today, I told Shane to be brave and buck her out early because the pace had been holding up all day."

He added: "She always promised to do that. Hopefully, she can improve on this and get another one."

Mullins warms up

With two good chances in Wednesday's Galway Plate, it promises to be a significant week for trainer Emmet Mullins, and he could not have warmed up for Ballybrit any better as his homebred filly Thebestisyettobe landed the opening juvenile fillies' maiden.

She had the benefit of a run in the barrier trials at Dundalk this month, which might have helped her inside the final furlong as she battled on tenaciously under Leigh Roche to hold off odds-on favourite and newcomer Karaoke by half a length.

Mullins said: "I was a little disappointed with her at the barrier trial but it turned out to be the quickest of the seven-furlong batches.

"We were very hopeful coming here today. She had been doing everything right at home. She's probably still a bit raw and green and hopefully she can take another step forward.

"I would say getting a homebred two-year-old winner is as good as any result I will get at Galway next week."

Shark holds on

The Aidan O'Brien-trained Shark Bay gained his third win of the season in the 1m1½f rated race. It was hardly impressive though. He didn't really travel at any stage and won by only a head from Jungle Cove.

It didn't end there as the winner had to survive a stewards' inquiry and, judging by the couple of bumps he gave the runner-up, he might be considered fortunate to have kept the race.
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