FLAT IS SIMMERING AT IRISH TRACKS

Karl Hedley casts an eye over the up and coming stars of the summer action over on the Emerald Isle

The Flat season is now in full swing here and whist there are still National Hunt meetings taking place, I shall be ☐ concentrating on horses who look as though they may have major seasons ahead of them on the level.

The first Classics of the year are already behind us, but with the likes of the Derby and Royal Ascot still to come, there is plenty to look forward to. I shall be reviewing some of the performances that have already caught the eye over the last month in Ireland and examine those horses who look to have decent prospects going forward.

Sakakawea showed good resolution to get up in the closing stages of the extended five furlong fillies' maiden that kicked proceedings off in Sligo earlier in the month. Oh So Bright took them along, but was pressed and headed by Marble Angel entering the final quarter of a mile.

Marble Angel swung into the straight under Gary Carroll and attempted to go for home. She was still boxing on in the final furlong, however, Billy Lee, and Sakakawea finished best of all on the outer to mow them down in the closing stages.

The winner still had to see off a closing Bella Mistiko but did so by half a length The runner-up was not unfancied in the market and was the same distance in front of Marble Angel.

Lee said of the Sioux Nation filly: "She jumped a bit slow and I was caught in a pocket most of the way, but it helped her because she's a forward-going filly and it settled her well.

"She travelled well and I got a good split off the bend. I thought I was going to win a bit easier, she just made it a little bit hard work.

"She's always worked well and her runs probably hadn't shown that, but that was more like it so hopefully she'll go forward.

"I rode her in the Curragh and I followed Ryan (Moore). We were the two on our own on the far side and, on the day, it was totally the wrong thing to do so the run probably wasn't as bad as it looked.