Abbey Actress
Abbey Actress put up a nice performance to finish third in the one-mile handicap at The Curragh on Saturday. Back in the field early on from her high draw, she was no better than fourth last as they straightened up for home, and she got stuck in a little bit of traffic three furlongs out when Ben Coen wanted to go forward. He had to sit still for a couple of strides before he could engineer some racing room for himself just inside the two-furlong marker. By that stage, Perry Mason and Electric Beauty had kicked on from the front and they weren't for catching, but there was a lot to like about the manner in which Abbey Actress stuck to her task to finish a clear third. It was a race in which the pace held up well and in which low-drawn horses came to the fore. The winner and the runner-up raced in first and second places from early from stalls three and two, while the fourth and fifth raced prominently too from stalls one and four respectively. Abbey Actress came from well back in the field to finish third from stall 11.
It was a fine run by the Make Believe mare on her first run for Johnny Murtagh. Winner of an apprentices' handicap on heavy ground over a mile and three furlongs at Killarney in October 2024 for John O'Donoghue, she raced just once last season, she ran out a comfortable winner of a 10-furlong handicap at Navan last April. She has obviously had her issues, this was her first run since, but it was a most encouraging run. She should be able to build on this now. She is five, but this was just her eighth run ever, and she should be able to go back out in trip if she needs to. She has the potential to go a fair way higher than the handicap rating of 82 off which she raced here. All her form is on soft ground, so she will be of interest wherever she goes next, especially if there is cut in the ground.
The Curragh, 28th March 2026
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