Ridden by Kerrin McEvoy for trainer Gai Waterhouse, Irish Sea was made to work from an outside barrier and James McDonald on Silent Sea made sure Irish Sea was never closer than three wide the trip.
In a head-bobbing finish, Irish Sea defeated Silent Sea (Poet's Voice) by a short-half-head with Silent Warrior (Fastnet Rock) a further one and a quarter length back in third.
Sent off an odd-on favourite, Irish Sea (pictured as a yearling) was making her third start having finished second on the same track at her career debut on April 14 before stepping up to stakes class in the Listed Woodlands Stakes at Scone on May 14 where she finished a credible fifth.
A $1 million yearling purchase from the Coolmore Stud draft at the 2015 Inglis Easter Yearling sale, Irish Sea is a full-sister to Listed Stakes winner Lake Geneva who placed in the Group 1 Golden Slipper and Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes.
Their dam, the Group II Reisling stakes winner Hips Don't Lie (Stravinsky), has been a resounding success in the sales ring with her four foals, all by Fastnet Rock, averaging $1 million dollars apiece.
The latest being a filly knocked down to Jadeskye Racing / Nordic Breeding & Racing for $1.1 million at the Inglis Easter Yearling sale.
And there's more to come. Hips Don't Lie has a weanling filly by Fastnet Rock and is back in foal to the champion son of Danehill.
