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Champagne celebrations for McCreery

Willie McCreeryWillie McCreery
© Photo Healy Racing

The fillies handicap at the Curragh produced a good tussle in the closing stages with Champagne Or Water claiming the spoils under Billy Lee.

Willie McCreery 's charge was produced to lead two furlongs out in the mile contest. Gallope pressed her hard inside the final furlong but could only get within three-parts of a length at the line.

The 8/1 winner had been placed third on her return to action at Leopardstown last month and had won a Sligo maiden last term.

"I was delighted to see the rain yesterday. She did everything lovely," said McCreery.

"The front 2 pulled well away and I thought the bottom was the danger as she looked well in.

"I thought she might be too big a filly for Galway but the way she fought on there the hill might suit her.

"She's a lot tougher this year. She was a big frame of a filly last year and is after filling out."

About Gary Carson
Gary started out as a trainee/assistant journalist with the Sporting Life newspaper and has worked in the racing industry for over 25 years. He has been with the Press Association since 2013 and won the Irish Field Nap Table in 2016. He enjoys working with horses and trained his own horse, Mamaslittlestar, to win a point-to-point in 2019.