Pink Oxalis lands fillies handicap under Kearney Apprentice Jack Kearney produced the Stephen Thorne trained Pink Oxalis with a well judged ride from off the pace to win the Mongey Communications Irish EBF Fillies Handicap at the Curragh. Having made the breakthrough for new connections when winning back-to-back races over a mile earlier in the season, the four-year-old had struggled when upped in trip subsequently. Back over her optimum distance here, the 7/1 chance was dropped out in rear by Kearney, as Presence led the way under Keithen Kennedy. Pink Oxalis came through to track the leaders over a furlong out, as Nicola Burns surged to the front on market leader Empress Artemis. Covering that move, Kearney soon went second, before getting to the lead over 150 yards out. Coming clear inside the final furlong, the eventual winner had two-and-a-half lengths in hand at the line. Stephen Thorne said: “She is very ground versatile but wasn’t right the last day in Leopardstown. “Jack gave her a lovely ride and she travelled very smooth. “We’ll see what is coming up and we might enter her in the Listed fillies race at Galway as she is a filly in form. “The owners are here which is great. They are from Saudi and sent me my first horse even before I had a runner.” Additional reporting by Alan Magee.
