KASTASA SHOWS GLIMPSE OF FUTURE FOR WELD

DERMOT WELD enjoyed the perfect warm up for the Galway Festival as Kastasa made a winning return to action in the Listed Vintage Tipple Stakes at Gowran yesterday.

A huge improver last season when she graduated from handicaps to winning at Group 3 level, this four-year-old should have a fine autumn on this evidence.

On her first start since September Kastasa was under pressure from Oisin

Orr well before the straight.

However, she responded generously and surged away from her rivals over the last furlong and a half to score by three parts of a length. This was a first stakes winner of the season for the trainer who indicated that the Irish St Leger could be a long term aim for his charge.

Before then Kastasa is likely to tackle the Group 3 Stanerra Stakes at Naas in the second half of August.

Ger Lyons and Colin Keane, who will bid for Sussex Stakes glory with Siskin in the coming days, landed the opener with a useful sort in

Amber

Kite. After beginning her career with two placed efforts at Limerick this daughter of New Bay produced a nice effort from the front to score by half a length. Elsewhere it was a good day for Joseph O’Brien and Shane Crosse who enjoyed a double. Firstly Never Forgotten turned over So Wonderful in the fillies maiden while Pugin later recorded a deserved success in the median auction maiden. Elsewhere the Willie McCreery-trained Epona Plays was a deserving winner of the second division of the fillies maiden.

AN outing at the Curragh in two week’s time is the plan for the back to form Millisle.

Last season’s star two-year-old won the Group 3 Ballyogan Stakes on Wednesday and will bid for another success at that level in next month’s Phoenix Sprint Stakes.

FRENETIC lost her unbeaten record to the Fozzy Stacktrained Aloha Star who was a 33/1 winner of the Group 2 Airlie Stud Stakes. Stack has since reported that his filly could be supplemented for the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh in two week’s time.

WINNER Dermot Weld