Lemista

Lemista was impressive in winning the Listed Victor McCalmont Memorial Stakes. Sharply away from her inside draw, Ger Lyons’ filly always travelled well for Colin Keane, never far off the pace and towards the inside. She travelled well into the home straight and, when her rider asked her to pick up, she picked up nicely. She came away from her rivals on the run to the furlong marker, and she kept on well all the way to the line to win nicely.

Her main market rival Elfin Queen under-performed, but Lemista couldn’t have done any more than she did, carrying a 3lb penalty. Colin Keane said afterwards that she is a filly who doesn’t do an awful lot at home, and who doesn’t do any more than she needs to do. That is probably why she was the stable’s second string in the Group 3 Park Express Stakes on her debut this season, when she kept on gamely to win well from Hamariyna and her stable companion Even So, who ran well in the Irish 1000 Guineas subsequently. She won her maiden at Gowran Park on soft ground on her final run last year too, so she has now won her last three. She has only raced five times now, so there is every chance that she will continue to progress. She has a really likeable attitude but, because she is a filly who only just does enough, it may be that she will be under-rated now if and when she steps up in grade.

Gowran Park, 19^th June 2020