Sister To Skyace Gains First Win Over Hurdles

Still Ciel (5m Westerner - Graigace, by Milan) gained a deserved win under rules when justifying favouritism in the mares maiden hurdle at Thurles on Thursday.

Runner-up on her previous two starts, the Henry de Bromhead-trained mare was ridden to make all by Darragh O’Keeffe and was ridden clear from the second last. Ridden out on the run-in, she dug deep to deny her challenger by half a length, with the pair finishing 16 lengths clear of the field.

Speaking after the race, the winning trainer said, “Still Ciel is a lovely mare and was unlucky not to win the other day. She has plenty of improvement in her. We'll give her a break now and bring her back for the spring

Still Ciel is owned by breeder Breandan Long under the banner Graiglore Limited, he having trained her to win a four-year-old mares maiden on her sole start between the flags. The daughter of Westerner is a full-sister to Grade 1 winner Skyace (Westerner).