Racing

Aidan O’Brien enjoys 170-1 four-timer at Leopardstown as Exactly secures Killavullan Stakes

Sigh No More springs 40-1 shock in the Eyrefield Stakes for Joseph O’Brien

Exactly ridden by jockey Wayne Lordan on their way to winning the Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Exactly ridden by jockey Wayne Lordan on their way to winning the Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Sat Oct 19 2024 - 18:30

Exactly delivered a dominant victory in the Group Three Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.

The 11-10 favourite was a winner over course and distance earlier in the season before being tried in top company, finishing third in both the Moyglare Stud Stakes and Prix Marcel Boussac on her last two starts.

Ridden with confidence by Wayne Lordan, Exactly made light work of her four rivals as she accelerated away to win by six and a half lengths.

Chris Armstrong, representing winning handler Aidan O’Brien, said: “She’s a queen of a filly, she turns up for every dance and she’s been consistent all year.

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“She obviously ran a fantastic race in the Boussac last time. Wayne gave her a lovely ride, kept it simple, she quickened and class told in the end. Obviously she won her maiden around here.

“You’d love to have them all like her, she’s so straightforward and tough and gets it done.

“She mightn’t be finished for the year. If she came out of it well we could look at the mile race in France next weekend for her.

“It depends how she comes out of it but it is an option. We’ll see where the rest of the team fit in after the weekend.

“She’s fierce well and even looking at her going around the ring she still has her coat and she’s holding her condition well. Mentally she’s loving it and you’d love to have a stable full of ones like her.”

O’Brien and Lordan were earlier on the mark with Minnie Tauk (2-5 favourite) in the opening fillies’ contest and Serious Contender (evens favourite) in the mile maiden for colts and geldings, but missed out with Takemetothemoon in the seven-furlong fillies’ maiden.

As a half-sister to City Of Troy, the filly attracted plenty of pre-race attention but was edged into third by Just Before in a blanket finish.

Twain (28-1) made it four on the day for O’Brien when triumphing under Mark Crehan in the seven-furlong maiden.

Sigh No More sprang a 40-1 shock in the Mongey Communications Eyrefield Stakes.

Trained by Joseph O’Brien and ridden by Mikey Sheehy, Sigh No More had won twice earlier in the campaign but had been firmly found out when upped in company.

She fairly flew home at the end of this Group Three affair, though, challenging down the nearside rail and proving a shade too strong for Trinity College, with favourite Thrice out of the frame after running around a bit in the straight.

“She got a lovely ride from Mikey and the race set up very well,” said O’Brien.

“She’s as tough as nails, she’s progressive and she’s never run a bad race. I’m delighted to win a big pot and a Group race for a big ownership group, a lot of them are here today.

“She’s gone well on a better surface as well, so she’s very versatile ground-wise but she does certainly handle soft conditions.

“There is a big team of people in the filly and everyone will get a great kick out of it. She’s been a model of consistency. We’ve had a great year with her so far and it’s great to finish it off with a big win.”

When asked if she could line up in a Classic trial next year, he added: “Absolutely, that would be a logical thing to do. We’ll see how she pulls up and take it from there.”