Master Speaker provided trainer Ado McGuinness with the ideal birthday present when taking the featured Tote Handicap on the concluding afternoon of the five-day Killarney July meeting.

The evergreen nine-year-old gelding was recording his fifth career win in this mile event, and his third since joining the Lusk handler last year.

The 8/1 chance, sporting the colours of Shamrock Thoroughbreds which includes former Flat handicapper Ciaran Kennelly, made good headway on the outer to lead a furlong out and drew clear for Chris Hayes to score by two and three quarter lengths. Yuften kept on to take the runner-up spot, with Tony The Gent another half a length away in third.

McGuinness said, “We are going to Galway with him. There was a good pot of money here (over 15,000 to the winner) and we said we’d come and have a whack at it. The horse is in great form and he worked well the other day.

“I didn’t enter him in the Galway Mile because I didn’t think he’d get into it, so he goes for the seven (furlongs) on the Sunday and he’ll run in the 0-90 earlier in the week.

“He’s been a great servant and has slipped down a bit. He’s run good solid races all year and deserved that. Chesney gave him a great ride.”