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Gary Carson

Gary Carson

Epona earns breakthrough win

Sat 25th Jul 2020, 16:05

Epona Plays and Billy Lee Epona Plays and Billy Lee
© Photo Healy Racing

Epona Plays gained a deserved victory when running out a game winner of the second division of the fillies maiden at Gowran.

Willie McCreery 's charge had to overcome a wide draw in the mile contest but was soon in a nice position behind the leaders.

Billy Lee asked the 5/2 favourite to challenge two furlongs from home and she edged ahead from Lady Anner over a furlong out.

The Australia filly stuck to her task well in the closing stages to post a half length success.

Epona Plays had been placed on her last two outings and is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Dolce Strega as well as the Listed placed Bumbasina.

“She deserved that. She's a grand filly and it's great for Renzo Forni, that's the fourth one of the family I've trained and they've all won for me,” said McCreery.

“The other two fillies were black-type so if we could try and get this one some black-type before the end of the year as well it would be brilliant.

“I was trying to be greedy at the start of the year a couple of times but finally she's won and I'm delighted.

“She's still learning the trade. Billy was happy with her there, he said she galloped all the way to the line and liked that ground so we won't be too worried about the end of the year with her.

“I think she has enough experience now so we'd only be wasting her in a winners race and might try and nab some black-type wherever we can.

“She's had three hard races in the last three or four weeks so I won't be too greedy now.”

1st
5/2Fav
Tote €3.10 €1.20
2nd
0.5L
16/1
€5.00
3rd
2.25L
6/1
€1.90
4th
1.75L
7/1
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.