Monday's Listed First Flier Stakes at The Curragh was stripped of key interest after the withdrawals of Star Prospect and Maria Quiteria, but still boasted a smart winner in Gary Matthews and Steve Weston's Velozee (Sioux Nation).Happy to wait while Ballydoyle's New Yorker (No Nay Never) pulled away his chance ahead, the Paddy Twomey-trained 4-1 joint-second favourite went by that 4-7 favourite and into the clear approaching the furlong pole for a 3 1/2-length defeat of What A Girl Wants (Persian Force). New Yorker paid for his exertions to finish a further six lengths away in third.“She's very good, I've made no secret of what I think of her and I was quite confident coming here,” jockey Billy Lee said of the €92,000 Goffs Orby Book 1 purchase from the family of Godolphin's luminary Master Of The Seas (Dubawi). “She was straightforward, cruised away upsides and was just doing enough in front. She'll learn again from this and if she comes through the Group 3 at Naas in a couple of weeks we'll be looking at Royal Ascot.”Twomey added of the winner, who was bought into by Weston after her winning debut in a Cork maiden last month, “Billy thinks six furlongs will be no issue to her, so we might look at maybe the Albany. She could go back to Naas in a couple of weeks to run again. She is a strong filly. She has had one bit of work since she won in Cork. She's uncomplicated and I think she's good.” Velozee (Sioux Nation) strikes in the Listed AES Recycling First Flier Stakes @curraghrace under Billy Lee for @ptwomeyracing pic.twitter.com/ZSksXKqKh3— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 4, 2026 The post Sioux Nation’s Royal Ascot Bound Velozee Strikes In The First Flier appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.