Fleur De Chine continues upward progress with Gowran Classic win

Shane Foley originally overlooked Fleur De Chine in the €200,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic but he was extremely happy he eventually teamed up with the filly in the course’s richest ever race.

Foley was due to partner the Jessica Harrington-trained Kinesiology but when he was taken out on account of the soft ground, Foley replaced Siobhan Routledge on Kirsten Rausing’s filly.

Fleur De Chine only broke her maiden at the fourth time of asking last month, but she is clearly up the upgrade and is from the family of Group One winner Madame Chiang.

Foley hit the front well over two furlongs out and the 9-1 chance always held Galileo Dame at arm’s length, winning by two and three-quarter lengths.

“She’s stayed every yard of that and will probably step up to a mile and a half,” said Harrington.

“I declared the two because we wanted good ground for the other fella (Kinesiology) and she’ll go on the softer ground.

“I’m not sure what happened at the Curragh (on her reappearance) and Shane thought she’d gone wrong.

“She was very good in Limerick and then we thought she could come here if there was some ease in the ground. A little bit of ease is probably important.

“She’s not very big but has a great attitude which is the main thing. Shane gave her a great ride.

“It’s a nice pot to win and wherever she goes now it will be about black type.”

The winner received an entry into the Irish Derby but Rausing is lukewarm on that idea.

Harrington said: “I said that to Kirsten and she said “Oh, I don’t think we should do that” but I’d still put her in it and see what happens. If we have a free entry we might as well.”