Tom Marquand hopes Sky Majesty could be a force back in the top tier of sprinting after a confidence-boosting success at Naas on Wednesday evening.
The three-year-old daughter of Blue Point, trained by William Haggas for owners Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy, was sent off the 11/10 favourite for the Yeomanstown Stud Irish EBF Stakes and toughed it out to land the six-furlong Listed contest by three-quarters of a length from closest market rival Carla Ridge (11/2).
Winning jockey Marquand hopes that a return to winning ways for the Commonwealth Cup eighth could spark a positive end of year for Sky Majesty, who was having just the sixth start of her career at the County Kildare venue.
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Marquand, who was having his first ever ride at the course, said on Racing TV: "She's a lovely filly. It was probably naive of me not to come before but this filly was one that I wanted to chase over and she duly obliged.
"She was strong through the last 100 (yards) and just enjoyed that extra bit of cut in the ground.
"We didn't go overly hard early, I was expecting a bit more early tempo, so that probably didn't suit her too well but the stiff finish and slow ground really helped see her to best effect.
"She's a filly has punched in a higher grade already, she's a Group 2 winner, she ran very well in the Group 1 Commonwealth (Cup). It's just nice to have her head back in front and hopefully it gets us back on that right trajectory.
"She's a lovely filly and really looks like she's come back to herself now."
Earlier on the card, the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Havana Anna (6/4 favourite) won the Listed Arqana Irish EBF Marwell Stakes in ready fashion and was subsequently cut to 8/1 from 16/1 by the sponsors for the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes at York next month.
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