Heffernan lands the nursery on Milliethemollie

Milliethemollie partnered for the first time by Seamie Heffernan, was a 12/1 winner of the nursery in which the main talking point was the slow opening of the stalls after starter Paul Moloney had pressed the release button.

The gates were around a second slower than usual to open, not doing a favour to any of the runners but second-favourite Masonbrook Meadow was particularly disadvantaged. Trained by 'gate speed' specialist Danny Murphy, Oisin McSweeney had given his mount a kick to get away smartly but she ended up bashing into her unopened gate with some force and was rocked right back down on her haunches, losing a dozen lengths and all chance.

The rest of the field got away pretty much on terms and the winner soon got to the front and stayed there to beat Cool Dan and well-backed favourite Eddie G by a length and a half and a neck.

A daughter of Kodiac trained on the Curragh by Jennifer Lynch, Milliethemollie had been second on handicap debut at Naas in September but this was a step forward on three unplaced runs at this venue since then.

Heffernan said: "The lads said that she has been weak. They wanted her to win as a two-year-old and now it is mission complete.

"She has been weak and she probably runs a bit keen in her races.

"She is catching up as she was strong today. She was a good winner at the line, the strength is coming into her."

Quotes from Michael Graham