Lily fires in Ballyogan

Fire Lily: An impressive winner at Leopardstown

Fire Lily ran out a rare winner for the home team in Leopardstown's Ballyogan Stakes on Thursday.

The six furlong Group Three contest has fallen to British raiders five times in eight years and there was a strong raiding contingent once again, two of whom took the field along at a decent clip.

Wayne Lordan had Fire Lily settled nicely on the rail in the slipstream in midfield as Swiss Dream and Inetrobil cut out the running and got a lovely split to challenge between that pair inside the distance.

David Wachman's charge found plenty for pressure and could be called the winner from the moment she hit the front although After did close her down in the run to the line with Gossamer Seed completing a one-two-three for Irish trainers.

Straightforward

Fire Lily was winning for the first time this season having bumped into QIPCO 1000 Guineas winner Homecoming Queen on her reappearance before finishing fifth in the French equivalent of that Classic.

Wachman said: "Wayne gave her a good ride on the rail. She got to the front a little soon but it was straightforward enough.

"We'll keep her to six or seven furlongs. There's loads of those races for her."

The disappointment of the race was arguably Lightening Pearl who hadn't run since the Newmarket Classic and was expected to be suited by the drop back in trip but, with rain falling, conditions went against her.

Her run, however, was far from being without promise despite Ger Lyons' charge ultimately finishing well beaten in sixth.