Extensio

Last Saturday was a great day for the O’Donnell family, with Silvia riding her mother Úna’s horse, Extensio, trained by her dad Pat, to victory in the Ladies Derby at The Curragh. He did it well too under a fine ride by Sylvia O’Donnell, who was riding her first winner. She had her horse prominent from early, but she didn’t panic when they turned for home. She allowed her horse make his ground gradually in the home straight, and she didn’t ask him for his effort until they were well inside the two-furlong marker. When she did, Extensio picked up well and stayed on strongly all the way to the line to win by a half a length, leaving the impression that he had more in hand than that.

It was a second good performance on the bounce by Pat O’Donnell’s horse. On his previous run, he stayed on well from the rear to take second place in a Leopardstown handicap behind Harry’s Legacy, who won at Killarney next time off a 6lb higher mark. And the Ladies Derby is working out well too already, with sixth-placed Five Zeros and 10th-placed Massaman both winning at Down Royal on Friday evening. The handicapper raised Extensio by 5lb to a mark of 68, but that mark should still be well within range.
The Curragh, 16th July 2022