Racing: Jessica Harrington might be better known as a National Hunt trainer, but she is making an increasingly serious impression on the Flat game, and Sahara Princess proved the point with a 16 to 1 success in last night's Blue Square Stakes at the Curragh.
John Murtagh's mount pounced on the favourite Sandie outside the furlong pole in the Listed feature, and after a prolonged struggle emerged best by three-quarters of a length.
It added to Harrington's Curragh tally which included last year's Group Three Park Stakes with Jazz Princess, who also raced in the colours of Galway owner Tom Curran.
The 40,000 guineas Newmarket purchase was only seventh on her Leopardstown debut behind Sandie's stable companion Ambika earlier in the month, but Harrington wasn't surprised with last evening's result.
"I've always thought a lot of her and at Leopardstown she was very green and drawn on the outside. In fairness to Tadhg (O'Shea), he said she was a bit better than a maiden so I took him at his word and put her in here, feeling a little bit bold!" said Harrington.
It all worked out perfectly, and the only moment of worry was when Murtagh had to briefly get stuck in when the winner hit the front and started to idle.
The Kerry-born rider Jamie Moriarty was the first jockey to hit the Derby mark this weekend as he guided the odds on favourite Virginia Woolf to an all-the-way victory in the Derrinstown Apprentice Derby.
It was a 23rd career winner for Moriarty.
Tofana was raised 13lb for a wide-margin win at Ballinrobe on Tuesday but carried only a mandatory 5lb penalty in last night's sprint handicap and made the most of it with a length and a half success.
"I don't know what we will do now. I couldn't find anything for her at Bellewstown next week," grinned trainer Frances Crowley. "She did well there, especially after travelling to Ballinrobe and back."
Horatio Nelson, a son of the double Classic winner Imagine, made a winning debut in the opener, but there was a 33 to 1 shock in the mile handicap as Zakfree, who paid over 168 to 1 on the Tote, scored for Liam McAteer and jockey Brian Hughes.
Kieren Fallon teamed up with the John Kiely-trained Visit Wexford to power home in the mile and a quarter handicap.
