Cul Baire keeps Gowran rivals at bay

Having failed to justify favouritism in desperate conditions at Wexford last time, Cul Baire put the record straight up the road at Gowran this evening in the concluding www.gowranpark.ie Maiden.

The Galway Festival bumper winning son of King's Best, got the better of his main market rival, Train Of Thought from over a furlong out.

The chestnut didn't look completely straight-forward in front (a suggestion that he could have sustained a cut around the mouth seems to be bourne out by the photo) but Kevin Manning could ease up close home as he accounted for his aforementioned rival by two lengths.

In a decent heat, they left Parramatta five lengths back in third and Cross Appeal a further three lengths back in fourth.

Manning donned the silks of his wife Una here and her father Jim Bolger of course trains the four-year-old.

Ger Flynn, representing Bolger, said: "That's a bit of compensation for Wexford.

"He has plenty of pace and speed and the better ground there was a help.

"He quickened away nicely and we'll see what the handicapper thinks." (AM & EM)