Bewitched puts Ayr flop behind her with Naas win

THE Charles O'Brien-trained Bewitched relished the return to six furlongs when landing Listed honours in the ITBA & Gain Horse Feeds Support Local Racetracks EBF Sweet Mimosa Stakes at Naas last night.

A winner in the same grade at Haydock back in May, the three-year-old daughter of Dansili had since found the minimum trip too sharp at Ayr and the step up to seven furlongs a little too demanding at Fairyhouse.

Back over her optimum distance, the 6-1 chance travelled sweetly in the middle of the pack under Johnny Murtagh and she burst through at the furlong marker to challenge Swiss Diva.

The winner edged across to the inside rail when placed under maximum pressure in the closing stages, but she beat David Elsworth's raider by three-quarters of a length, with another British challenger, market leader Prescription, back in third.

O'Brien said: "We rode her a bit differently, she tanked a bit the last day at Fairyhouse so we missed the break on purpose with her today. We'll try and stick to fillies' races and we'll travel if we have to."

Fencing Master was a major disappointment in the Declan O'Brien Decompaction Company Supporting Naas Hurdling Club Race. Runner-up in the Dewhurst and seventh in the 2,000 Guineas, the Oratorio colt was sent off at 1-3 and soon at the head of affairs. But the writing was on the wall a fair way out as the unbeaten Wade Giles (7-2) loomed up under Keagan Latham and went on for a cosy three-length success. It was a second odds-on reverse in a row for Aidan O'Brien and Murtagh after Enchanted Forest was turned over at 1-4 in the mile maiden.

Winning trainer Ger Lyons said of Wade Giles: "The programme in Ireland is not great for a horse like this, but he did it well."

Meanwhile, Midday has been pleasing trainer Henry Cecil on the gallops ahead of her bid to retain her Blue Square Nassau Stakes title at Goodwood a week on Saturday.

Last year's race was the filly's first success at Group One level after placing in both the Epsom and Irish Oaks, and she went on to give Cecil one of the finest moments of his incredible career in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. "Midday worked very well this morning and is on target for the Nassau Stakes then on to the Yorkshire Oaks," the trainer told www.henrycecil.com.