Duck Egg tough in beating Gifted Lady

You knew your fate from some way out if you were 'on' many of them in the six runner Ladies Day At Sligo 4th August Nursery Handicap but Duck Egg Blue and Gifted Lady certainly gave of their all as the former prevailed under Chris Hayes in race two at Sligo.

Twenty to one chance Gifted Lady gave it a real good go from the front for Leigh Roche, but she eventually had to yield to Duck Egg Blue (13/2) by half a length.

Gambled on favourite Steelyeyed was two and a half lengths back in third.

"She was giving a lot of weight away (to the second) in her first handicap. She's a home-bred and they are as tough as nails," said Hayes of the Kevin Prendergast home-bred.

"I felt I was getting there inside the final furlong but I had to give her a grueller up the hill to get there.

"Hopefully the handicapper is not too hard on her and we can have a bit of fun with her.

"She was green down the back and ran off the first and second bends. It's a genuine breed and she stuck her head out at the finish."

(GC & EM)