Ocean Jewel won the Curragh's Lanwades Stud Stakes with a clear victory.
In the Group Two competition, Willie McCreery's filly was making her seasonal debut. She hadn't raced since September when she placed eighth in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown, a steep defeat.
Under a brave Billy Lee, she moved with strength throughout and quickly recovered from her wide position to easily defeat Goldana by a length and a quarter.
“They went no gallop and she was a bit fresh early on, but Billy got her settled and she finished well. I’m delighted with that,” said McCreery after the 8-1 success. “We’ll go on to Royal Ascot now for the Duke of Cambridge. She’s won a Group Three and a Group Two now and that’s very important as she’s well bred and it’s great for Al Shira’aa Farms. There were a few races that we probably should have entered her in, but she would have had to carry a Group Three penalty and I just said it wasn’t fair on her and we’d wait for this and it would be a nice pipe-opener for Royal Ascot. She stayed the mile well. Once she settles early, she’ll stay it no bother.”
After selling for 1.65 million guineas at Tattersalls in December, Rogue Millennium, who won the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot for Tom Clover the previous year, was the even-money favourite on her maiden start for Joseph O'Brien.
While Ocean Jewel stayed out of trouble, Rogue Millennium had to settle for third-place honours despite being fully clothed and having nowhere to go against the rail when making her challenge.