Dragon Fei and Conor Maxwell© Photo Healy Racing
"She had good form on the Flat but was crying out for soft ground. She'll run in the Grade 3 hurdle at Down Royal in three weeks time," said trainer Dermot McLoughlin after his Dragon Fei made an impressive debut over jumps in the Follow Tipperary On Facebook Mares Maiden Hurdle.
The successful daughter of Jeremy went off at 12/1 for this two miler, but she got the job done under Conor Maxwell, in the style of a horse dispatched at much shorter odds. Never far away, Dragon Fei cruised ahead of Blazing West before the last.
The latter made a mistake there and the winner eased home by five and a half lengths.
David Eiffe owns Dragon Fei and he disclosed: "We weren't expecting that but she jumped and travelled. She hasn't had her ground on her last few runs, but is a Listed filly on the Flat on genuinely soft ground."
A.P. Heskin, rider of Strictly Becks trained by Eoin Christopher McCarthy, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount burst a blood vessel and was pulled up.
Vincent Laurence Halley, trainer of Thinklike A Shrink reported to the Clerk of Scales that his charge scoped wrong post race.
(TW & EM)
