Halla Ban a game winner for Cleary

Halla Ban fourth when sent off favourite on her handicap debut at Gowran earlier in the month, was a 7/1 winner of the 1m2f handicap for three-year-olds and upwards.

Competing from 3lb out of the handicap, Jim Bolger's homebred daughter of Parish Hall tracked the leaders and had to concede first run to 2/1 favourite Dubawi Spectre when that one was driven into the lead over a furlong out. Once in the clear though, Rory Cleary's mount picked up well and collared the market leader in the final 50 yards.

Topweight Pralognan was flying home down the outer but Halla Ban held on to beat that one by a neck with a further head back to Dubawi Spectre in third.

Travelling head man Ger Flynn said:- “She deserves that, she has a heart as big as herself.

“Rory said the gaps were closing the whole way up the straight and he had to just keep niggling and keeping her in there.

“The minute he got the gap and got out he said she was brave. She's not over big but she wanted to win today. She's been knocking on the door so it's nice to get it.

“That's a perfect trip for her, she jumped and travelled and he had a lovely position all the way. You'd never think down a big straight there would be so much trouble but she did it well.

“We'll see what the handicapper does, hopefully it's onwards and upwards.”

Quotes from Gary Carson