It was little more than an exercise canter for Optionality as she romped to victory in the Anglesey Lodge Equine Hospital EBF Maiden at the Curragh today.

We were confident coming here because this filly has been working particularly well at home. She had gone a bit weak on us last year and since she's a filly we've always held in high regard we decided to be patient and give her time to develop. That patience is paying off now and she has grown into a lovely filly.

She's all speed and I knew there'd have to be something very special in this race to live with her. It was very pleasing to see how professionally she dealt with everything on just her 2nd start. Her initial outing was in a listed race at Dundalk but the surface there didnt suit her. She took it all in her stride today. She has a great temperament and nothing phases her. It's a real pleasure to train a filly like her.

It was fantastic to have a winner for my brother Brian at our local course and also nice that it happened on 12th August which is the anniversary of the day our late Dad Arthur had his last winner as a trainer. Gary Carroll gave her a lovely confident ride and was very impressed with her. Congratulations to breeders the Windmill Farm Partnership and many thanks to my excellent team for a great job done by all.

I think she's a stakes filly and her next target is likely to be the Abergwaun Stakes (Listed) over 5f at Tipperary on 30th August. We'll look forward to that and I think she'll improve significantly from this run.