Beechwood

Beechwood was really impressive in winning the Listed Oyster Stakes at Galway last Tuesday.   Prominent from early, she made nice ground around the outside as they rounded the home turn. Billy Lee had a little look over his left shoulder as they straightened up for home as he allowed his filly to move up and join the leader Romzina and, when he gave her a squeeze, Beechwood picked up impressively. She cleared away from her rivals, putting more than four lengths between herself and her pursuers by the time she reached the winning line.

It was a taking performance by Paddy Twomey's filly. A progressive filly for John O'Donoghue last season, she finished second in each of her first two runs for Paddy Twomey, but she took a real step forward on Tuesday, putting up the best performance of her career by some way over the longest distance over which she has raced to date. She holds an entry in the Denny Cordell Lavarack Stakes at Gowran Park next Saturday, but that may come up a little quickly after Galway. Also, she would be dropping back down in trip there to nine and a half furlongs and, while she is versatile, it may make sense to stick with a mile and a half for now, given that she has proven that she stays the trip well. And her trainer also has La Isla Mujeres and One Look in the Gowran Park race, so it may be that Beechwood will wait. She goes well with an ease in the ground, so she will be of interest wherever she goes next as we move into the autumn.

Galway, 10^th September 2024