Emilie Gray

Emilie Gray put up a good performance to finish third in the seven-furlong maiden at Leopardstown on Sunday. Settled back in the field early on, she travelled nicely for Colin Keane out of the back straight and to the home turn. It took her a little while to pick up after she was asked for her effort by her rider, but she stayed on strongly through the final furlong. She got up almost level with Baldomero, who made his ground from a little further forward, and the pair of them got past Jeroboam, who had kicked for home from the front off the home turn, but neither of them could get past Eaglefield, who just got home by a neck.

It was a really good effort by Dermot Weld’s filly. It was a nice step forward from her previous run, she probably would have won this contest had they gone another 100 yards, and she was in front at the pull-up. Third behind Sunday’s Guineas Trial winner Joan Of Arc in a maiden at The Curragh on the opening day of the turf season on soft ground, she was well beaten on fast ground at Cork next time, and she seemed to appreciate the return to good ground here. By Dubawi and a daughter of Carla Bianca, who won the Group 3 Dance Design Stakes over nine furlongs and the listed Naas Oaks Trial over 10, the Moyglare Stud filly should appreciate a step up to a mile on this evidence, or even a step up to nine or 10 furlongs. She should be winning her maiden soon before stepping up in grade, and it is interesting that her trainer thought enough of her to give her an entry in the Irish 1000 Guineas.
Leopardstown, 9^th May 2021