Controlla takes Curragh opener The Robson De Aguiar-trained Controlla (10/3) was an all-the-way winner of the Market Square Monasterevin Irish European Breeders Fund Maiden at the Curragh for jockey Donagh O’Connor. The daughter of Night Of Thunder was a leading fancy for the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot and has been highly tried since finishing runner-up on her first start in Naas. She set a solid gallop today before getting first run on her rivals and staying on well for a half-length victory. The Eoghan O’Neill-trained Champion Basma was an eyecatching second. Speaking after the race, trainer De Aguiar said: “We always liked the filly and she started off in a Group 3. “We asked her a little bit too much to go to Ascot and then we made the wrong plan for her. “Now that we’ve won a maiden with her I think we’re going to drop her to five because she has plenty of speed. “I think we have a nice sprinter for next year. “She could maybe run in a Group 3 in Newmarket in two weeks' time. It’s over five furlongs and that could be a race for her. “We freshened her up well and she came back in the Moyglare just to get a race into her. “She showed plenty of speed today and I think when we drop to five she’ll be able to jump and go and keep going for five furlongs no problem.” (Quotes from Gary Carson)
