Ainippe (left) and Colin Keane come to tackle Newsletter© Photo Healy Racing
Ainippe got up close home to land the feature at the Curragh, the Group 3 TRM Ballyogan Stakes, scoring under Colin Keane for Ger Lyons and Qatar Racing Limited.
The three-year-old daughter of Captain Rio went down by just a head to Toscanini on her seasonal reappearance at Navan last month and she was sent off the 9/4 joint-favourite today having opened at 4/1 last night.
Settled behind the leaders on the inner she had to be switched wide to challenge from a furlong out. She was soon ridden and got up close home to score by half a length. Newsletter (the other joint-favourite) hit the front a furlong from home but she ultimately had to settle for second under Shane Foley for Ken Condon. Steip Amach was two and three parts of a length back in third while Stormfly and Blhadawa disappointed.
Ger Lyons said afterwards: "I thought she was going to be an unlucky loser. She's not big but she's all heart. She has plenty of speed and loved the good ground. We've always felt that she will get seven furlongs. She's a good honest filly.
"We took the view that we didn't want to take on Anthem Alexander in the Lacken and I don't think she's good enough for the Commonwealth Cup. Hopefully we can find a Group 2 for her.
"That was the plan this year to win a Group 3 with her, and we'll have to sit down and make a plan now for the rest of the year."
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
