Never A Secret scores for Finnegan & Condon

The fourth race on the card at Kilbeggan this evening, the Moate Handicap Hurdle, went to the Hugh Finnegan trained, Davy Condon ridden Never A Secret

The 7yo daughter of Fruits Of Love won her bumper way back in August of 2008 at Roscommon (which was her trainer's last racecourse winner). However she failed to build on that on her four subsequent starts over hurdles.

She then was off the track for exactly two years, making her reappearance at Wexford on July 23rd of this year. She finished down the field on that occasion but on her next run at Cork she ran a nice race to finish just over eight lengths sixth to Adropaupep.

Today, she chased the leaders early on and was fourth halfway. She then went third, three hurdles from home, before moving into the lead approaching the second last. She was ridden and challenged at the last by Loughnagall but kept on best on the run-in to score by a length and three parts.

Having opened at 9/1 on course the winner was returned at 8's, while the runner-up Loughnagall was 14/1.

The joint favourite at 9/2 Seaside Shuffle finished a further length and a half back in third for Davy Russell and Charles Byrnes while Sea Of Erris completed the placings another length and a half back in fourth at 16/1.

The first four went fifteen lengths clear of the fifth who was Kalmez while the other 9/2 joint favourite Magnetic Force could only manage a disappointing eighth.

The winning trainer Hugh Finnegan, trains in Nobber, Co Meath.

Donal Murphy