Drumfad Bay

Drumfad Bay was impressive in winning the Listed Cairn Rouge Stakes over a mile at Killarney last Monday.

Jessica Harrington’s filly travelled well on the inside through the early stages of the race, she moved into second place at the furlong pole and she stayed on strongly from there to hit the front deep inside the final furlong before going on to win by a length and a half. Favourite Asking may have run a little below form, but the runner-up Music Box, the favourite’s stable companion, is a talented and progressive filly who went into the race in top form, winning a handicap on her previous run at Naas just a week earlier, so it was a good performance by the winner to beat her as she did.

Drumfad Bay herself had a passage to forget in the Sandringham Handicap at Royal Ascot on her previous run, but she proved her class here, and she clocked a decent time. She has progressed with every run this season with the exception of her Royal Ascot blip, she has the potential to progress further, and she will be of interest now stepped up to a fillies’ Group 3 or Group 2 contest. This was just her second attempt over a mile, and she stayed the trip well. By Acclamation out of Manieree, who won a listed race over a mile, a Group 3 race over nine furlongs and a Group 2 over 10, a mile could be her optimum trip now.

17^th July 2017