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Donal Murphy

Donal Murphy

Keilee comes from the clouds to foil gamble

Sun 30th Apr 2023, 18:52

Little Keelie (nearest) comes to head Rathbranchurch inside the final furlongLittle Keelie (nearest) comes to head Rathbranchurch inside the final furlong
© Photo Healy Racing

Little Keilee came from an unpromising position but ultimately won going away in the Follow @thetote.com Handicap.

Drawn on the wide outside in stall 15, the Ciaran Murphy-trained bay started slowly and soon found herself one from the rear.

Pushed along from the two furlong pole, she soon made headway and surged to the front inside the final 150 yards, going on to win comfortably by a length-and-three-parts.

A sizable gamble on Rathbranchurch (returned the 5/2 favourite from 12s early) came up just short, as he couldn't hold off the winner in the closing stages and had to settle for second under Gary Carroll.

There was another length-and-three-parts back to Master Garvey in third, with Robbie Colgan aboard this 17/2 chance.

The winner, who is owned by the Peateawhy Syndicate, was trained by Eamonn O'Connell last season and was a close-up third on her most recent start at Dundalk.

Winning rider Dylan Browne McMonagle said in the aftermath: "I had a bad draw and I didn't know if she was going to handle the ground so I just wheeled her in from the draw and took my time. They went very hard and it just fell in my lap.

"I stayed wide the whole way because it's getting fairly chopped up down the inside. It worked and she was a good winner."

STEWARDS REPORT

A.J. Slattery, rider of Senado Square (GB), trained by Andrew Slattery, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount got upset in the starting stalls.

Additional reporting by Mark Nunan

1st
7/1
Tote €8.00 €2.40
2nd
1.75L
5/2Fav
€1.20
3rd
1.75L
17/2
€3.60
4th
1.5L
9/2