By Tom Frary
Leopardstown staged the mile maiden on Thursday which had seen Opera Singer (Justify) prevail 12 months earlier and there was another promising winner as Juddmonte's Swelter (GB) (Kingman {GB}–Hot Snap {GB}, by Pivotal {GB}) made a winning start for the Dermot Weld stable. Out of the operation's G3 Nell Gwyn Stakes-winning and G1 Nassau Stakes-placed half-sister Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), the homebred was held up in rear early by Chris Hayes. Looming wide on the home turn, the 12-1 shot swooped on the experienced 11-4 favourite Valencia (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) with a furlong remaining and asserted to score by 1 3/4 lengths, with 2 1/2 lengths back to Ecstatic (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), Ballydoyle's daughter of Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
“She's a gorgeous filly, she's a big filly and has always shown ability,” Weld said. “I did enter her in the Moyglare and the Debutante so it's not a surprise that she won here at all. She settled beautifully. She's a big filly, so I'm looking more at next year with her. Please God she can make into a Guineas filly, that's how high I rate her. She's a talented filly, a nice mover and my only concern was a mile for her first run. If it was seven, I'd have been confident that she'd win because of the pace she has. That's why Chris took his time on her, from a fitness score to go a mile, but she had no problem with the distance.”
Impressive debut 👀
Newcomer Swelter (Kingman) makes a winning start to her career under @chrishayes24 as she strikes for Dermot Weld in the @IrishEBF_ Fillies Maiden @LeopardstownRC 👏 pic.twitter.com/Qe8AexXL4Y
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 18, 2024
4th-Leopardstown, €18,000, Mdn, 7-18, 2yo, 8fT, 1:42.11, gd.
SWELTER (GB) (f, 2, Kingman {GB}–Hot Snap {GB} {GSW & G1SP-Eng, GSP-Ire, $138,733}, by Pivotal {GB}) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $11,690. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Dermot Weld.
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