Golden Days again for Halford and Collins

Golden Days took full advantage of racing off 1lb lower than when winning in Fairyhouse this month to strike in the the second divide of Gowran's seven furlong handicap.

The handicapper gave her 4lb for that recent success, however, Mick Halford and Tracey Collins enlisted 5lb-claimer Cian MacRedmond for today's task.

MacRedmond switched her out passing the two pole and the six-year-old mare came to challenge Trueba over a furlong from home.

The front pair went on in the final furlong and it was Golden Days who got the better of the battle in the final 150 yards.

She got the spoils by a neck at 10/1 from the 8/1 runner-up. There was a three-and-a-quarter-length gap back to third-placed Zephron who went off a well backed 4/1 favourite. Each-way players drew a dividend from Lisabetta (22/1) in fourth.

“We're very pleased with her, she battled well. Cian gave her a lovely ride as we were very worried about the ground with her,” said Collins.

“They kicked early on and he just bided his time and kept her out on the better ground. She found and she battled hard for him.

“I'm very pleased that her owners have given me and Michael time to give her a chance and it's repaying them now this year.

“She's a specialist filly, seven furlongs is her trip and she doesn't get a yard over or a yard under. Wherever the next seven furlongs is now is where she'll head to.

“Cian was very clever, he kept her on the better ground as it's very chopped up on the inside. Honestly had she not been drawn wide we wouldn't have run her, which is a rare thing to say about Gowran.

“It was better ground where she was going to be coming up and that was the deciding factor in whether we ran her or not.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson