Catalina Delcarpio makes striking impression on Leopardstown debut

Leopardstown’s Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden has a pretty illustrious roll of honour and Catalina Delcarpio will surely go on to better things.

In recent years Dermot Weld’s Tarnawa and Joseph O’Brien’s Above The Curve have both used the race as a springboard to Group One glory, as has Aidan O’Brien’s Savethelastdance.

Those trainers were represented again, with Weld’s Etawa, from a typical Aga Khan family, making her debut, while O’Brien’s Tswalu was sent off favourite for her only outing last year when she met trouble in running.

Neither of them had an answer to Paddy Twomey’s filly, though, who in a matter of half a dozen strides went from third to first, showcasing a blistering turn of foot.

Sent off at 11-4, the 400,000 guineas purchase, who holds an entry in the Irish Oaks, chance pulled four and a half lengths clear of Tswalu, with Etwa back in third.

“She’s always trained well and I was looking forward to coming racing today,” said Twomey.

“I told the owner last week I was putting her in the Epsom Oaks, but then I decided not to, I don’t know whether that was a good or bad idea.

“I just thought Epsom might come a bit soon with her development starting today. He told me we could supplement her, so I said we’ll see.

“She was just ready to start and mine usually get well beaten on debut, I think she’s nice.

“I haven’t thought about plans. I wanted to come here and start and see what happened. I’m happy with what happened and we’ll make a new plan now.”