Affogato

It was only a three-horse race in the end that Affogato won at Fairyhouse on Friday evening, but it was a good three-horse race, and she was really impressive in winning it.
Colin Keane was happy to allow his two rivals San Andreas and Ace Aussie at it up front. He stalked them into the home straight and, when he took his filly towards the outside and asked her to pick up, the response was impressive. She quickened past her two rivals in a matter of strides and kept on nicely under just a hands-and-heels ride to win by over four lengths.

It was a fine performance by Ger Lyons’ filly, to beat the 104-rated San Andreas as well as she did. There is, of course, a danger that San Andreas didn’t run his race, but there is every reason to expect that he did. He had close to optimal conditions, seven furlongs is his trip and he goes well on this ground and at Fairyhouse, he won this race last year, and he came nicely clear of Ace Aussie, himself a 103-rated horse. This was just Affogato’s third race, just her second for Ger Lyons and he first since she won her maiden at Gowran Park in April, so she should come forward from this. Her trainer said afterwards that she is a very light filly, and that she will tell him where she will go next, but she will be of interest wherever she goes. The handicapper gave her a mark of 103, which is workable. She holds an entry in the valuable fillies’ seven-furlong handicap at The Curragh on Irish Derby weekend, and she will be of interest if she lines up in that, but she could go beyond handicaps. She might be better suited to conditions races now than to a big-field handicaps.
Fairyhouse, 10^th June 2022