Ocean Jewel © Photo Healy Racing
Willie McCreery made a good start to the new Flat season when stable star Insinuendo landed the Park Express Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday and is hopeful that his three-year-old Ocean Jewel can build on the promise shown last term.
The half-sister to 1,000 Guineas winner Mother Earth landed a five-furlong Down Royal maiden on her second start in September before finishing runner-up to Beauty Crescent in the Listed Blenheim Stakes at Fairyhouse later that month.
“She’s a sharp filly and has wintered very well," said McCreery.
"I think she is going to be a six-furlong sprinter. I’d like to try and get seven with her at some stage but she has all the hallmarks of being a quick filly.
“We’ll start her off at Cork in a Listed race (on April 8) and see where we go from there.”
Regarding his aspirations for the new campaign, McCreery added: “We had 29 winners last year (matching his tallies for 2015 and 2016) which was our best and you would be hoping to do better every year. I think we have a nice team this year, we are full in the high sixties in total, with a lot of fillies as I usually have.”
