Anniversary follows up on Bellewstown win

Happy Anniversary followed up on her win at Bellewstown on Sunday as she took the opening contest at Leopardstown this evening, the Leopardstown Apprentice Handicap.

Trained by Dick Donohoe in Gowran, Co Kilkenny she was fourth entering the straight and then made progress to lead over a furlong out before keeping on well to draw clear and score by three and a half lengths at the line under Ross Coakley, who was recording his sixth career success.

Adrian McGuinness trained runners occupied second and third with Toufan Express (9/1) finishing in the runner-up spot under Ian Brennan with stable mate Night Singer (12/1) a head back in third under Ray Dawson.

The 6yo daughter of Intikhab won her maiden as a 2yo at Ayr in 2008 but then went on a losing streak of twenty-one races, eight of which were for Donohoe.

She was sent to post the 4/1 joint favourite this evening with the other joint favourite Cnocan Diva finishing back in fifth.

Winning trainer Dick Donohoe said afterwards: "She is in great form at the minute. After a lot of bad days she has come good recently.

"She won as a 2yo in the UK and we bought her at the Newmarket Sales.

"She was a bit disappointing last year but the handicapper gave her a break and otherwise we wouldn’t have continued with her this season.

"The race at Bellewstown took nothing out of her and she is thriving. She might run at Killarney now on Monday (entered in a 1m Handicap)."

(On-course reporting by Gary Carson)