Malbay makes light of quick reappearance

Sizing Malbay (11/4 fav) showed no ill-effects from her recent third place finish at Ballinrobe on Tuesday as she took the Race Displays Handicap Hurdle for Stephen Mahon and 7lb claimer Sean O’Keeffe.

The Flemensfirth mare was a winner at the Co. Mayo track earlier in the month, and ran creditably behind Happy Jack back there on Tuesday evening.

Here, having always been fairly handy, she was driven out after the last to hold the fast-finishing Trenchtown Rock (9/1) by a neck, with Fly De Megaudais (8/1) another half a length away in third spot.

The winner is a full-sister to Stonebrook, a four-time winner across the water for Donald McCain in the 2013/14 season.

“She's a game little mare and I wouldn't have run her again but for the fact that she's so tough,” said winning trainer Mahon.

“It's a waste of time having a horse in this game if they're not tough.

“It was a bit of a concern after her run at Ballinrobe on Tuesday, on ground she wouldn't have liked.

“It was only two-two there and if I had run her in the two-six I wouldn't have dreamt of running her again because she would have got a hard race, that why I went for the two-two.

“The owners wanted to go to Ballinrobe and I'm local to Bellewstown so we got it both ways and it worked out grand.

“Sean gave her a beautiful ride, he kept it simple.

“She came home and ate up on Tuesday and rode out yesterday morning and was fine.

“She's a grand mare, she's small and I was concerned about the weight on her back. I ride her out everyday so she's well able to carry weight at home anyway.

“She was very game but I'd say you wouldn't have seen the best of her with the run on Tuesday.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson