Flanagan doubles-up on well-backed Victoria

After winning the opener on Azua Emery Sean Flanagan doubled-up on the well-backed Victoria Bay in the Fairyhouse.ie Mares Handicap Hurdle.

Available at 16/1 in early shows, the Colin Bowe trained five-year-old opened on-course at 6s before going off a 5/1 chance in the colours of the Rich & Nora Furlong Partnership.

Successful in a point-to-point on debut in April of last year, the daughter of Doyen had been disappointing since switching to the racecourse proper.

Having her second start in handicap company this evening, she raced in mid-division early on, before improving into a more prominent position with a circuit to race.

She took over at the head of affairs from three out, and went clear after the next, keeping on well from there to score by four and a half lengths. Sunset Sadie (9/2) finished second under Eoin O'Connell for his father Eamonn, while Askann (12/1) was twelve lengths back in third for another father and son team of Mervyn and Simon Torrens. Goaheadmakemyday was returned the 3/1 favourite, and while she disappointingly finished last, she was later found to be post race lame.

Flanagan said afterwards: "Both of them did it very easy. I thought this one would improve on better ground. It is dead but it's not very deep."

"She jumped great. They've gone a right gallop and I just jumped there at the third last. I was kind of keen, knowing that she's won a point-to-point and all she does is stay galloping, to let her roll away and she's galloped all the way to the line.

"She's got a very big pedigree as she's a half-sister to Our Victoria, she's a good black-type mare, and you'll probably see the best of her when she goes jumping fences in time.

"Whatever she picks up over hurdles is probably a bonus."

Additional reporting by Gary Carson