The Betdaq Casino Mares Handicap Hurdle saw exactly the same distance of half a length between each of the first seven home. Howaya Aoife trumped them all for Gerry Keane with Ricky Doyle in the saddle at Punchestown.

There was an eye-catcher or two in the seventeen horse field but Howaya Aoife deserved her win, staying on well to lead close home to triumph over Tokyo Getaway and Cash Me Outside

“She’s a nice mare. She won her point-to-point first time out and looked very promising and then she fell after and had a hard race and it just knocked the edge off her," said Keane. 

“Last year we had niggling problems with her and we let her off after she disappointed at Leopardstown. Last week was her first run back and we thought today was an ideal race for her with the run under her belt. 

“You won’t see the best of her until she goes over fences if she stays in one piece. 

“Her mother (Howaya Pet) was a good chaser and she won seven races for us. She won the Porterstown at Fairyhouse and the Conyngham Cup here. She’s a ringer for her to look at.”

An eight-year-old daughter of Court Cave, Howaya Aoife was bred and is owned by Steven Vaughan.

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined Isabel's Gold trained by John Queally, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be blowing hard post race.

C.D. Maxwell, rider of Lee Valley Legacy trained by Dermot Anthony McLoughlin, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount got tight for room at the start.

(AM & EM)