McCreery outlines plans for smart fillies Willie McCreery is considering a few options for Jancis and Vespertilio after below par efforts by the pair in the past week. Jancis was sent off a well-backed 11/4 chance for the Group 3 Bahrain Turf Club Desmond Stakes at Leopardstown but trailed in last of six with McCreery blaming himself for the lack-lustre run. “We couldn’t find anything wrong with her after Leopardstown. We probably ran her back too quick so we could put that down to trainer error!” he said. “She has a few entries for Champions Weekend next month and we’ll probably give her a little break and wait till then.” The daughter of Tamayuz followed up a debut win at Leopardstown last summer by landing the Group 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Brownstown Stakes at the same venue. She is without a win since but filled the runner-up spot on her reappearance in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Victor McCalmont Memorial Stakes at Gowran Park and also went close on her penultimate start in the Group 3 Longines Valiant Stakes at Ascot. McCreery is willing to put a line through Vespertilio’s run in the FBD Hotels And Resorts Phoenix Sprint Stakes where a tardy start spoiled her chance before keeping on into mid-division behind Bucanero Fuerte in the Curragh Group 3 last Saturday. “They were gone the other side and Wayne (Lordan) said they had gone five lengths after about 50 yards, and she was always behind after that. “She ran on well and probably ran a better race than it looked. “We’ll have a look at the race in Naas (Group 3 Ballyogan Stakes on August 24).” A Group 2 winner as a juvenile, Vespertilio has been placed twice at the highest level including a close third in the French 1,000 Guineas and regained the winning thread on her penultimate start in the Listed Jebel Ali Racecourse & Stables Dash Stakes at the Curragh.
