Eretria impressively wins Leopardstown’s opener American-owned Eretria (5/2) scored on her second career start today, landing Leopardstown’s opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden under jockey Gavin Ryan. Runner-up on her Dundalk debut on April 1, the daughter of Camelot today raced prominently and having led two furlongs out, quickened away to score smartly by 6.5 lengths from Sangreal . Eretria carries the colours of Pennsylvania’s Skara Glen Stables, which is owned by Stanley and Marcia Gumberg, with winning trainer Donnacha O’Brien stating “she’s a smart filly. I thought the last furlong was impressive because I knew she had plenty of pace but the way she stuck at it, I thought, was very impressive. “She’s a lovely filly going forward. I’ll give her a little bit of time now, she’s only two weeks back from her first run. Maybe something like the Naas Oaks Trial could fit in nicely now. “She’s in the Irish Oaks and also the Epsom Oaks and we also have the option of something like the Ribblesdale as well, so all those are open to her. “I actually had it in my head that she might be a mile-and-a-quarter filly but just looking at the way she hit the line, against a strong headwind, you’d be thinking that a mile-and-a-half wouldn’t be a problem either. We always thought she was pretty good and I think the winner of that Dundalk race (stablemate and similarly-owned Emmeleia) is pretty good as well, so they are exciting fillies.” ‘Eretria’ is an old Greek town mentioned by famous writers and involved in significant historical events while aforementioned Dundalk-race winner ‘Emmeleia’ refers to a solemn, dignified dance used in ancient Greek tragedies. Quotes from Gary Carson
