Ava on top close home in auction maiden

The Sheila Lavery-trained Avagardner prevailed after a protracted duel with Sense Of Style in another cracking finish at Dundalk this afternoon.

Sense Of Style was sent to post the 11/10 favourite in the seven-furlong fillies maiden and made the running.

She had Avagardner on her girth throughout and the pair settled down to fight in out in the closing stages.

Robbie Colgan conjured a little bit more from the 18/1 winner close home to record a hard fought short-head victory.

Lavery had also saddled Belle Image to finish sixth in the opener and revealed:-

“That's a relief. I thought the other filly would be the one that won for us today but she just didn't face into the kick-back.

“This filly has had a couple of runs so Robbie decided to be prominent so that she didn't have to face the kick-back.

“She toughed it out really well, she's still raw and green and I think she'll improve off that.

“I think the step up in trip helped her and she's not ground dependent.

“She's in the Ballyhane, I know that's over six, but you'd have to have a go at it if you got in considering the prize-money. It depends what mark she gets because it's very highly subscribed.”