Walk In The Park Mare Impresses In Four-Year-Old Maiden

That’s Nice (4m Walk In The Park – Bloody Mary, by Fragrant Mix) emerged as an exciting prospect when winning one of the first four-year-old maidens of the year at Bellharbour on Sunday.

Partnered by handler Derek O’Connor, JP and Noreen McManus’ homebred was the sole mare to line up in the field of eight and raced towards the back of the field for much of the way. Ridden from the second last, she quickened smartly after turning for home and took second approaching the final fence. Keeping on strongly, she led close home to score by a neck, with another 20 lengths back to the third.

The exciting prospect was competing a quickfire double for her sire, with Mystical Goddess (5m Walk In The Park – Whyalla, by Bandari) having gained a deserved success just 30 minutes earlier at Ballyvodock.

The Michael Griffin-trained mare was sent off a short-priced favourite on debut the previous weekend, but was carried out with five fences left to jump. Reunited with Johnny Barry on Sunday, she raced towards the back of the field in the early stages and began to make headway after the fourth last. Second when challenging at the final fence, she led soon after and kept on well to beat newcomer Handfulofpromises (Westerner) by two lengths, while Morning Fortune (Soldier Of Fortune) finished a close third.

Owned and bred by Colm Griffin, Mystical Goddess is a full-sister to Listed winner and Grade 2 second Giovinco (Walk In The Park).