Alwaysanangel lands new Listed contest Third in the Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes on the July course at Newmarket on her previous outing, Alwaysanangel (5/2 from 6/4 before the off) ran out an authoritative winner of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Firville Stakes at Cork. The seven-furlong Listed contest for juvenile fillies is a new race in the programme book and the daughter of Harry Angel was dropped out and raced in rear under Dylan Browne McMonagle. After making steady progress on the far side of the field from over two furlongs out, she challenged from over a furlong out and headed Madam Secretary inside the final 150 yards to win, under a hand ride, by a length and three-quarters. Sent off the 5/4 favourite, Maire Rua finished a further three-quarters of a length back in third having met interference just after leaving the stalls. Kevin Blake was on hand to represent winning trainer Joseph O'Brien and said "She has plenty of pace, as she showed at Newmarket where they went really quick. "She was in her comfort zone today although had to come around on the 'wing' which wasn't ideal, but it was the right thing to do and she quickened up well. She only did enough when she hit the front. "She is a Listed winner now and could come back to six (furlongs), so there are good options for her. It will depend on what step Joseph wants to take next. "She was well bought at the breeze-ups by Stuart Bowman of Blandford Bloodstock and she runs for great people (Byrne family) who always come to support their runners." Regarding some pre-race confusion where there was a mix-up in the saddling of the winner and her stablemate Beibhinn, leading to the race being six minutes late off, Blake added "It was just a bit of a mix-up and was spotted. It shouldn't have happened, but it was resolved." Additional reporting by Tom Weekes
