Autumn Shades loves it round Downpatrick

Autumn Shades made it two from two at Downpatrick when landing the mares' handicap hurdle over an extended two and a quarter miles for trainer Mark Molloy.

The six-year-old mare made all and saw off Feel The Air (who was having her fourth run in-a-row at this track). The daughter of Vinnie Roe enjoyed the good ground and kept going up the hill to win by a length and three parts under Mark Walsh from the 9/2 runner-up who stayed on without troubling the winner.

There was a three and a quarter length gap back to My Pollyanna in third at 16/1.

Mark Molloy said: "I look forward to coming up here, it is well-maintained. I think she found Ballinrobe too tight and we had a disastrous journey with two blowouts.

"I think she's a good mare. I'm looking forward to going over fences with her but we might find a hurdle at Galway first, depending on what the handicapper does. She's built like a chaser."

Autumn Shades previously won at Downpatrick, over the same trip, in March. She was sixth in Ballinrobe on her last appearance.