Shane Foley © Photo Healy Racing
It was a case of doubles all round for Shane Foley, Jessica Harrington and owner Zhang Yuesheng when Benitoite burst through late on to take the concluding TaxAssist Accountants Kildare-South Irish EBF Fillies Maiden at the Curragh.
The trio, who enjoyed classic success with Magical Lagoon earlier in the afternoon, could have been forgiven for thinking that their day wouldn't get any better but it certainly did courtesy of the once-raced daughter of Pivotal.
Runner-up on her racecourse debut over 7f here last August, the filly had been absent since then. Foley was content to sit mid-division as the race unfolded, then produced his charge with an electric turn of foot between horses to quicken up nicely.
“She was unlucky here last year as a two-year-old and it's just taken a while to get her right, she's quite a big filly. She's done that very well,” said Harrington.
“The more traffic problems she got into the better she was. I'm absolutely delighted and it's great for Mr Zhang to have a day like this, to win a classic and then win with this filly.
“She has a beautiful pedigree so to win her maiden was very important.
“We don't have her in anything, if we could win a Listed race or get black-type with her it would be job done.
“She's a gorgeous filly and we've always loved her but she's been a bit fragile. We've been very patient with her and it's borne fruit today.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
