Alpine becomes the bride Standard-setter Alpine Wedding (100/30) collected a E50,000 Goffs Orby Book 1 bonus as she scored on her fifth start in Cork's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden over seven furlongs. Fifth in a strong listed race on her penultimate start, the Sioux Nation filly was slightly disappointing last time out in a Gowran maiden. Entered in Saturday's Listed Ingabelle Stakes, it will be interesting to see how she figures in that, if she participates. Paddy Twomey's charge was always handy on the stand side and kicked clear, going easily just under two furlongs out. Owned by Patrick Hale, she kept on strongly in the final furlong under a hands-and-heels ride from Billy Lee to win takingly by three and a quarter lengths. The Ballydoyle contingent of Haven and Golden Ring finished second and third, respectively, with three-quarters of a length separating them. The late gamble on Hanawa was unsuccessful, as she was never a factor on debut for Johnny Murtagh. Scenic Route Pays Off With Goffs Bonus Winning trainer Paddy Twomey commented how, “she is rated 89 and I had previously taken the scenic route with her. She was drawn 18 of 16 at Gowran last week, but the only reason I ran was because we were running out of Goffs bonus race options. Today's race was the final one, and Paddy Hale (owner) worked with Goffs many years ago, so it was great to get E50,000 back. "She is learning to race on the job, and I think she is a classy filly who will be a better three-year-old. "Billy (Lee) thought she could run again this season, no problem, and there are a few fillies' stakes races for her. She's also in the Goffs Million so that is a live option too." Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes.
