Little Token grabs her first success in Clonmel

Little Token made light of the testing ground in Clonmel to power home in the Cloneen Mares Handicap Hurdle.

This hasn't been a day for closers as the heavy ground has taken quite a toll but this race bucked the trend as Little Token collared Plassey House in the closing stages.

She couldn't have been called a winner waiting to happen as Mike O'Connor was noted exerting his arms on her in sixth as the field raced towards the penultimate flight.

The Milan mare found for him, though, and jumped that obstacle in an improving fifth. O'Connor then made the decision at the furlong pole to switch her out and once in the clear she made headway to second at the last.

She landed on a good stride and mowed down Plassey House inside the final 100 yards to win going away by two and a quarter lengths to justify 4/1 favouritism for Joe O'Keeffe.

Plassey House finished second at 11/1 and was seven lengths ahead of Seangoell (7/1). Dazzling Dove completed the placings in fourth at 20/1.

O'Connor said: "She has been knocking on the door for a long time and is always one of those consistent mares who kept seeming to bump into one.

"It is great, my aunt (Helen O'Connor) owns her so it is great for the family and great to get a winner for her. All the mares' family seemed to go on and breed reasonably good horses so we'd be hopeful with her for the future."

This was Little Token's first winner on her 20th career start. She won a point-to-point at Ballyarthur in March 2019 for Helen O'Connor.

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes