Mrs Harrington's Dickiedooda - 2nd at Ayr© Photo Healy Racing
Keep Busy emulated her dam with victory in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Land O’Burns Fillies’ Stakes at Ayr.
John Quinn’s four-year-old was dropping down in class, having run consistently well at Group One and Two level in her last four starts but without a victory since her last trip to Scotland at Hamilton in August.
Keep Busy, a Group One runner-up at the Curragh last year and back in action quickly after her admirable close fifth as a 50-1 shot in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot last week, was sent off the 4-7 favourite this time to gain a deserved fifth career success and second at Listed level.
She duly did so with the minimum fuss, following the example set by her mother Look Busy — who won this race by a short head back in 2008.
Ridden by Jason Hart, Keep Busy was not quite so hard-pressed to make her class tell — striking from off the pace a furlong out, after being positioned in midfield early on, and quickly confirming her superiority to win by three-quarters of a length from Irish challenger Dickiedooda.
Mid Winster, prominent throughout, just held on for third half a length further back.
Quinn was delighted to see Keep Busy win for the first time in seven starts — and confirmed she will soon be going back up in class again.
“She did it well — she was going away at the line,” said the North Yorkshire trainer.
“It’s only seven days after Royal Ascot, so I’m delighted.
“I’ll give her a little chance now for a while. But she does thrive on racing — the more I ran her as a two-year-old the better she was, then last year she only started running in June and then ran nine times.”
A return to the Curragh for the Group Two Sapphire Stakes is therefore on Keep Busy’s agenda — with high-profile dates at Goodwood, York and ParisLongchamp all possibly in the diary for her later in the season.
“She does like racing,” added Quinn.
“Her mum was supremely tough, and this one is the same.
“That said, there’s only so much for her. But there’s the Sapphire at the Curragh, the Group Two in about three weeks.
“That would be the plan, and then back for the Group Ones she ran well in last year — I put her in at Goodwood (King George Stakes) this morning, and the Nunthorpe, and she’ll be entered in the Abbaye.
“But I’d say the Curragh (next), all being well, would fit nicely.”
