Bay Of Sanibel (right) and Shane Foley © Photo Healy Racing
Jessica Harrington sent out a double for the second successive day as Bay Of Sanibel proved a really gutsy winner of the Safter Gambling Navan Maiden.
The Commonstown trainer recorded easy wins with Feathertop and Queen Of Seduction at Gowran Park yesterday while Heavenly Being also won decisively earlier on this card, but Bay Of Sanibel had to dig deep to make it four winners for the yard in 24 hours.
The 12/1 chance made headway to challenge early in the straight and kept on well under pressure inside the final furlong for Shane Foley to deny Neptunes Staircase by a neck. Golden Temple could find no extra in the closing stages a further length back in third.
The Sea The Stars filly, owned by Australian Michael Drapac and the first to run in his colours in Ireland, is a sister to Listed winner Bharani Star.
Harrington's daughter and assistant trainer Kate said, "Poor Nathan (Crosse) rode her the first day and I'd say he had to push her the whole way.
"She did that really nicely, she jumped and she travelled today. Up in trip, we could have gone for the mile and a-half maiden next week at the Curragh. We went here because it is going to be very deep ground at the Curragh.
"We picked her up from the Arqana December Sales last year. Denis Cullen did a lot of pre-training with her, she only came to us in May/June time and she is only really learning her job there. You can see her ears were pricked down the straight.
"You can see how big she is, she is going to be a gorgeous filly next season. She is going to be a good staying filly next year."
Quotes by Michael Graham
