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O'Brien doubles up with impressive Fairyland

Fairyland shows her class in the CurraghFairyland shows her class in the Curragh
© Photo Healy Racing

Aidan O'Brien's filly Fairyland put in a very taking performance to lead home the colts in the Listed Marble Hill Stakes over six furlongs at the Curragh.

She gave O'Brien a one-two-three as 4/6 favourite Van Beethoven took second spot ahead of Land Force at 8/1.

The daughter of Kodiac brought up a double for O'Brien as his just Wonderful prevailed on debut in the opener.

She raced in third under Seamie Heffernan before taking closer order approaching halfway.

The 4/1 chance soon tanked into the lead from land Force and Recon Mission and kept on strongly in the final furlong to take the honours by two and a quarter lengths.

Van Beethoven did his best work in the latter stages to get up for second by a neck.

“She looks very nice. She won very nicely in Naas and Ryan loved her when he rode her. Wayne (Lordan) rides her at home all the time and he's always loved her,” Aidan O'Brien said.

“She's relaxed. First time was five and we stepped her up to six today to have a little bit of a feel and give her a little bit of experience.

“She was very comfortable at it, looking at her, and Seamus was really happy with her.

“She travelled well and Seamus said she's a very kind, very unassuming type of filly, and she cruised the whole way. He felt she would even stay further.

“She has a great pedigree and Mrs Stockwell always loved her, she loved her at the sales. She's an exciting filly.

“Mrs Stockwell loved her physique, loved her mind and how big and powerful she was. It's great to have her racing today.

"She's a filly for either the Queen Mary or the Albany, we have a choice now. She was very comfortable at five in Naas and got six very well today.”

Seamie Heffernan added: "She is extremely straightforward, she is quick from the gates and sat upsides. A furlong down she did it well. She's a complete lady, a nice filly.

"I'd say after that performance that's where the owner will want to go (Royal Ascot). She'll be joining the rest of the decent ones."

Fairyland won her maiden at Naas earlier in the month.

Paddy Power quote Fairyland as 5/2 favourite for the Albany.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

1st
4/1
Tote €3.40 €1.20
2nd
2.25L
4/6Fav
€1.02
3rd
nk
8/1
€1.90
4th
0.5L
66/1
About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.