Girl steps up nicely on debut

The clues were there, after her debut fifth place effort here just over three weeks back, and 20/1 chance Lockeen Girl duly stepped up on that to take the closing Tom Birmingham Menswear Flat Race under Paul O'Neill at Kilbeggan.

After showing inexperience at the start, and in running first time out, the hope was that a hood could help Lockeen Girl on this occasion, and the drop to two miles also had to be seen as another potential positive.

After George Webb's charge held on by half a length and the same from Cottersrock and the gambled-on favourite, Eshayko the trainer's representative Mort Gleeson said: "We're delighted. We expected her to run a bit better than the last day. She was very green then though, and is improving.

"She might go for a winners bumper in Listowel. George only trains a handful but has had great success from a few horses."

The Stewards fined Thomas J.Farrell, trainer, €350 for lodging a passport in respect of Bye Awhile in which the vaccinations did not conform with the provisions of Rule 91. The Stewards allowed the horse to run on receipt of the trainer's written assurance that the vaccinations were in order.

(GC & EM)