MARIE EMULATES PETSY BY LANDING CHRISTMAS OAKS

Ian Fortune

Tamara Butler’s Maries Wedding was the undoubted star at Shelbourne Park on Friday night as she emulated her dam Ballymac Petsy by racing to a superb success in the final of the Christmas Oaks.

Ballymac Petsy landed the Christmas Oaks some three years earlier, making every inch after a fast start from an inside box, and the same can be said for Maries Wedding. Maries Wedding didn’t quite go as fast as her dam but was every bit as impressive as she stopped the clock in 28.33 on a track racing on the slow side.

Breaking fast from the inside box, the daughter of Droopys Sydney moved to the middle of the track but held Ballymac Run into the turn. The latter looked a serious threat but was forced to check a little wide as Maries Wedding cut back to the fence.

Ballymac Run came at Maries Wedding into the third turn but was again cut off. This was the decisive moment in the contest. Once sniffing victory, Maries Wedding powered home to emerge a wonderful two and a half length winner. Speedels About came from out of the clouds to grab second with a luckless Ballymac Run a half-length adrift in third.

Conor Matthews Racing Support Officer Shelbourne Park Presents the Trophy To Tamara Butler and The Butler Family after "Maries Wedding " won the Final of the 2022 Christmas Oaks.    Pic: Imelda Grauer