Deilginis completes hat-trick in style

Deilginis completed a hat-trick in style, as she justified favouritism in the Ballymore Kildare (Mares) Handicap Hurdle.

Successful over fences at Cork in January, the Joseph O'Brien trained bay followed-up at Clonmel the following month.

Given a break since that success and back over flights this afternoon, the Martin O'Sullivan owned daughter of Flemensfirth was sent off a clear favourite at 11/8.

Rated twenty-two pounds lower over the smaller obstacles, the six-year-old was settled in second by JJ Slevin and got to the front before three out.

She was pushed along and extended her advantage approaching the final flight, keeping on well on the run-in, coming home three and a quarter lengths to the good. Regina Dracones (66s this morning, returned 16s) ran a fine race to take second under Darragh O'Keeffe for Tom Gibney, while Gordon Elliott's Amor Verdadero (10/1) was another eight and a half lengths back in third.

Brendan Powell, assistant trainer, said afterwards: "She loves that ground and she stays well. She's very genuine.

"She's a lot lower over hurdles than she is over fences so it was a nice bit of placing and hopefully she'll go on again.

"She'll mix it between hurdles and fences but has a nice mark over hurdles at the moment."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee