Aonvaar takes the bumper as Elsie runs out

Stradbally, Co Laois trainer Bill Lanigan recorded his first winner for nearly six years as his gelding Aonvaar took the final race at Killarney this evening, the Killarney Racegoers Club Ladies Bumper, under Nina Carberry.

Lanigan recorded his last winner on May 30th 2006 when Charmahal took a bumper at Ballinrobe under Ross O’Sullivan. Elsie for Tom Mullins and Jane Mangan was sent off the warm order 4/7 favourite for the race, after finishing second on her two career starts to date.

However the daughter of Milan hung badly right up the home straight with a circuit to go and eventually ran out.

The front running Latest Trend for Mary O’Connor and Lisa O’Neill lead the field as they turned into the straight for the final time however the winner was soon ridden to challenge and hit the front two furlongs out.

He soon went clear and stayed on well inside the final furlong to score by a length and three parts at the odds of 8/1. Cnoc Na Sioga ran on to take second for the father and daughter team of John & Gillian Ryan at 12/1 while Latest Trend plugged on to take third, two and three parts of a length back at 16/1.

The winning 6yo son of Dushyantor was having his third career start this evening.

He started off in a maiden hurdle at Gowran in December, where he finished ninth behind Golanbrook (earlier winner Ballyadam Approach finished fifth in that race).

He then finished sixth of nine behind Champagne Fever (Elsie finished second that race) in a bumper at Fairyhouse in January and on his last start he ran well to finish just five and three parts of a length fourth to Pipers Hill in another bumper at Thurles early last month.

Winning trainer Bill Lanigan said afterwards: "He is a nice horse and I always thought a lot of him.

"He ran in a bumper at Fairyhouse won by that good horse of Willie Mullins, Champagne Fever. He travelled well that day but just got bogged down in the heavy ground.

"He should have won the last day at Thurles but he lost ground at the start. He is the makings of a very nice horse."

Donal Murphy & Thomas Weekes