Meriden makes light of 7lb penalty to land Curragh opener The 3/1 favourite Meriden backed up her win over seven furlongs at Down Royal last Friday evening when taking the opening Sky Bet Extra Places Handicap at the Curragh. Dropping back to an extended six furlongs wasn’t an issue for the three-year-old who is trained for owner Patrick O’Brien by Denis Hogan. She picked off the front-running Amerilis early inside the final furlong and went clear to score by three and a half lengths under Joey Sheridan, easily defying a 7lb penalty for her Down Royal success. Hogan commented, “That was brilliant, you are always taking a chance when you go back quick. “She was so well on Monday morning I said to Patrick (O’Brien) that we had to run her, that she’d love the Curragh and she’d probably sharpen up for the run again. “She looks an improver. She was well bought by Patrick, he picked her out himself at the July Sale last year. She has a lovely pedigree, so will do two jobs. “We got held up a little bit with her at the start and had to wait to January to start training her. “She ran a lovely race first time here in a maiden and she’s just found her feet now. She’s obviously come up through the handicap well. “There is a lovely race for her here on Derby weekend, a fillies’ only seven-furlong handicap. It looks made for her so I’d say that will be her next stop.”
