Our Girl Salley toughs it out again

As conditions deteriorated at Leopardstown, Our Girl Salley showed her likeness again for the venue when staying on best to win the Grade 3 mares hurdle for with Barry Geraghty in the saddle.

The mare had won this race last year when it was of Listed race status.

Denis Hogan kicked Stephanie Kate (9/2) on after jumping three out with co-leader Golden Sunbird (9/2) but he couldn’t shake off Geraghty and the 11/4 favourite who joined him in jumping the last and then stayed on strongly to get his head in front in the last 100 yardsto win by two-and-a-half-lengths. What A Charm (5/1) came home third, two-and-three-parts-of-a-length behind runner-up Stephanie Kate. Golden Sunbird was fourth.

Mrs Prunella Dobbs trains the winner and she said: “She took a little bit longer to get out this year. We want to finish the season with her so we didn’t want her out too early.

“Prep races were hard to find. She ran over two miles twice which didn’t suit. There aren’t very many races for her. We’ll look at the Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas and there’s a couple of nice mares races for her in England at Ascot and Doncaster.

“The mares race at Cheltenham is definitely an option for her. The good ground might suit.”

Our Girl Salley received a quote of 25/1 for the mares hurdle at Cheltenham from Boylesports.

Michael Graham