Door finally opens for consistent Stella Alpina The Willie McCreery trained Stella Alpina gained a deserved breakthrough success when making all the running under Dylan Browne McMonagle to win the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Tipperary. Runner-up on three of her seven starts, including when going down by a short-head at Cork last time, the 4/6f was quickly into stride from her favourable high draw. Main market rival Shadow Of The Moon closed up to throw down a challenge from over two-furlongs out but Stella Alpina rallied strongly on the rail. Asserting inside the last 100 yards, the daughter of Kodi Bear went on to win by one-and-a-quarter lengths. Willie McCreery said: "The six-furlong maidens were running out so I dropped her back to five here and in fairness to her, she was due her turn. "I think she tries too hard but is learning to sprint. She is 16.2hh and when she grows into her frame, will be a proper sprinter in time. She is a work in progress and I think next year will be her year." Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes.
