Skydance Secures Maiden Win to Book Return to Bigger Things

Skydance secured her maiden victory at Leopardstown on April 12, 2026, winning the Look De Vega At Ballylinch Stud Fillies Maiden.

The victory was achieved through a combination of a drop in grade and an increase in trip. Jockey Billy Lee timed the run to secure the win for the Willie McCreery-trained filly, who started the race at 7-2 odds.

The race concluded with Skydance winning by a short head. She overcame a strong challenge from Thundering On, trained by Joseph O’Brien, who had charged from the pack along the rail in the final furlong.

Performance and Strategy

Skydance’s performance followed a previous effort in the Moyglare Stud Stakes, where she finished less than four lengths behind the winner.

Trainer Willie McCreery expressed satisfaction with the result, noting that the filly is highly rated. McCreery had expressed initial concerns regarding the ground conditions, stating that the filly typically requires good ground.

She hit the line very well so you wouldn’t be worried about the mile now. I was a little bit worried about it but not after that.

Willie McCreery

Following the win, McCreery indicated that the team intends to think high regarding her future targets.

Additional Leopardstown Results

Other action at Leopardstown saw Launch Time break his maiden on his ninth attempt. The 8-1 shot won the Sunday 10th May Leopardstown Family Day Handicap.

Trainer Cian Hughes attributed the success partly to the use of cheekpieces. Hughes noted that the horse had previously struggled at Dundalk, leading the team to keep him on the turf.

Hughes mentioned that while the stable had achieved three winners at Dundalk, this victory marked their first on the grass for the current group of runners, which consists of half a dozen horses.