O'Donoghue's juvenile gets up for last-gasp success The most valuable event on Cork’s seven-race card, the opening Irish EBF Auction Series Race, produced a thrilling finish with just a nose and a short head separating the first three home. Fast-starting Rosie Frith had all her rivals off the bridle entering the final quarter-mile but she was looking for the line in the final 100 yards as several pursuers closed her down. It looked like she may have just held on but the judge’s photograph revealed that L L Coulsty (13/2), was up in the final stride. Newcomer Stars Will Shine was a running-on third. The winner, fifth on his first start at Leopardstown last month, is trained for Dr Marcella Burns by John O’Donoghue. O’Donoghue said: “It was windy so I went down to the start with him as he uses a stalls rug. I watched the race on a very small screen and thought he was beaten. "We were happy to see the rain on the way down - not that he needs it, but the fact he debuted over seven furlongs suggested he'd need further than six. "He was drawn wide and ran green on debut and every time Ben (Coen) went for him, he had to correct him again. "We had him in the mile Juvenile Stakes on Champions Weekend on Saturday but obviously forfeited that and we'll see now. He has plenty of options as we know he handles that ground. "Ronan (Burns) sent me a horse in my first season and every year since and that's the fourth two-year-old he sent me and the third to have won. He is a bloody good breeder and a good support." Jockey Ronan Whelan added: “I was caught for a little bit of toe and I’d say the one that led us (Rosie Frith) is a five-furlong horse. He needed every yard of it and I think you’ll see the best of him when he steps back up to seven (furlongs). “I thought walking it that the ground was probably best in the middle, so I was happy enough where we were. There’s a strong tailwind which I think helped the second horse last in front so long.” Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
