The Gurkha Filly Flies Home In Leopardstown Maiden

Fly Girl (2f The Gurkha - Katchy Lady, by Kyllachy) made all to justify favoritism in Thursday’s seven furlong maiden at Leopardstown.

The Jessica Harrington-trained filly finished a promising fifth on debut at the track last month, when running over a mile and seemed to appreciate the drop back in trip on her second start. Leading under Shane Foley, she was pushed along to extend her advantage approaching the final furlong and kept on well to win by half a length.

Bred and owned by Richard Barnes, Fly Girl becomes the latest first crop winner by dual Group 1 winning miler The Gurkha. Her maiden win comes a week after La Bure (The Gurkha) won her second start for Jean-Claude Rouget at Deauville, while Sugauli (The Gurkha) was another who caught the eye when making a winning debut for Tom Clover.

The Gurkha’s first crop have also proven popular in the sales ring, with Limerick maiden winner Finest having been purchased as a yearling for €250,000, while Glending Stables sold the sire’s seventh six-figure produce at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale, where their colt fetched £260,000.