Rachael Blackmore was agonisingly denied victory in the Irish Cesarewitch on Sunday as Echoes In Rain was reeled in by favourite Waterville.
Blackmore rode a patient race on the Willie Mullins-trained Echoes in Rain, who was appearing for the first time since winning at the Galway Festival.
And her mount hit the front with a furlong to race up the Curragh straight when edging past stable Lots Of Joy.
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It looked for all the world that Blackmore was going to win the €324,000 race, but Aidan O'Brien's Waterville, who met plenty of trouble in running, came out of the clouds to scoop the big pot.
“He’s a horse with an awful lot of ability. We thought in the winter that he was our Derby horse but when we started to race him, he became very shy and mentally very backward,” O’Brien said.
“We decided to take our time with him and not throw him in a Leger or anything like that and give him time to mature.
“Today we were drawn out so far (18) that we thought we couldn’t win with a three-year-old that was so shy. Obviously Wayne gave him the most incredible ride.
“Ryan (Moore) rode him the last day and felt the trip was going to suit him, but it’s like a cavalry charge out there they go that hard and that fast. It’s like the Grand National on the Flat.
“Wayne kept nursing him and he’s obviously a horse with a huge amount of ability.
“Next year he’s going to be something different. He’s been a baby and didn’t race last year. He’s massive with a beautiful pedigree and looking at him today, he’s going to be very at home at Cup trips.
“All credit to (former Horse Racing Ireland chairman) Joe Keeling for putting on this race and making it happen. Everyone has a chance at a big pot and the Curragh had the place in super shape for 30 runners.”
Lordan was impressed with Waterville’s performance and said: “Aidan said he was very well and to take your time in the race and he’ll come on the bridle at halfway. He told me to ride him with loads of confidence.
“He knew the horse better than me but literally at halfway he did come on the bridle.
“I switched him out and he hit the line well. He didn’t kill himself but he was running at the line which was a plus.
“He has a big engine and going that trip, when you have a horse underneath you, then you can go where you want.
“I enjoyed it – well, when I got to the line in front I enjoyed it!”
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