Jazz Girl on an upward curve

She may have been the sole three-year-old filly in the hurly burly of an all-aged handicap but Jazz Girl put such reservations to one side to land the Celtic Rivals Handicap for Andy Oliver and Gary Carroll at Dundalk.

The Tramore and Fairyhouse winner was put in by one leading layer at 15/2 this morning but she drifted to almost double those odds, being returned a 14/1 chance. That didn't stop Jazz Girl holding the late run of the well-backed Harrison's Cave (13/2 into 7/2, slightly hampered close home) with the similarly fancied Sonapour (11/2 this morning into 3/1) back in third.

Andy Oliver said: "I expected her to go well. I don't gamble myself but when I saw the price I thought somebody had misjudged things.

"Gary gave her a brilliant ride and the filly handled the surface and seems to be improving.

"We'll see what the handicapper does now and take it from there.

"There are a couple of races on the turf for her and some here. It will depend on the ground as she wants it on the quick side."

Coral Cup hero Carlito Brigante made his return to action in this mile and a half contest but he dropped out as if something was amiss in the straight. He was later found to be clinically abnormal.