Damsel does the business for McLoughlin Damsel In Distress stepped forward considerably on her second racecourse outing when landing the opening Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden at Roscommon for trainer Daniel McLoughlin. The Minzaal filly had finished fifth after missing the break on her debut at Listowel late last month and went to post an 11/1 shot this afternoon. Ben Coen produced his mount to tackle 11/10 favourite Sea Of Rain inside the final furlong and she got on top in the closing stages, despite showing signs of greenness, to score by a length-and-a-quarter. “The (New Suit) syndicate bought five horses at the yearling sales last year and I always loved her from day one,” said McLoughlin. “She’s a big filly and she’s out of a mare that got black-type in France. Derek Veitch, who has the horse with me in the next, sold her as a foal and he recommended her to me. “Everything was always slow to happen with her and the sire was taking a bit of time to get going, that was the only doubt in my head. “She’s still only a frame of a filly. “The first day she ran, she’s very gawky, and things take time to happen with her. “She jumped fine at home but when the gates opened in Listowel, with the colours and the slap of the gates, she got a bit of stage-fright. “She got left ten lengths and she galloped out very well over six-and-a-half. “She only got one or two flicks and it taught her an awful lot. She went the right way at home and we sharpened her up out of the gates. She worked very well last week. “She’ll be a gorgeous filly when she lets down and as Ben said there she only got going in the last 50 yards. She’ll get a mile. She was having a fair look up the straight. “All the horses in the syndicate are probably for sale. “She’s been in from the start and I’d probably give her a spell for a week or two. Let her let down and fill up. “She’s won now and we like giving them a good experience after they win. A week or ten days out in a field would be no problem. “She handles a cut in the ground but is a very good mover so I’d say any ground won’t be a bother. “We’ll go back to the drawing board and then go from here. “It’s a syndicate of ten lads. Conor Quirke is involved, he bought them and owns a share. “There are also a couple of very good supporters of mine involved as well, Eric and Dave McDonnell- who are involved with The Piper’s Call. “Just good lads that I mentioned it to and pulled them together and they were all mad keen. Fair play to them for taking the chance. “They have another four at home and hopefully it’s only the start.”
