'Queen of the sand' delivers for Cannon

Coreczka finished with a flourish to land a gamble in the opening six furlong handicap on the beach at Laytown.

Claire Cannon 's six-year-old mare raced towards the rear early doors and was last of the 10 runners at the halfway stage.

However, she began to make her move inside the final quarter of a mile and got a lovely run up the inner to close on last year's winner My Good Brother a furlong out.

She finished the strongest under Oisin Orr to pick off My Good Brother in the closing stages and win going away by three parts of a length.

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She was very well backed from 20/1 to 10/1. My Good Brother was the 3/1 favourite and he finished half a length up on third-placed Bien Chase (7/1).

Oisin Orr said: They went hard enough early on. It didn't suit me, I was off the bridle.

"I had to pull her out of the kickback because I couldn't see where I was going but luck she could! She stayed on well and loved the track.

"When I was in behind the kickback she wasn't facing it but I got her up the inner and she faced it and loved it.

"They went hard and sort of stopped and it helped me. It's riding fast.

"She's been good to me, I think that's four winners on her now."

Claire Cannon added: "She's the queen of the sand and she's just warming up for Dundalk again.

“She's won five at seven or a mile and that's her first at six. Oisin gave her a good ride and he knows her.

“I had a runner here last year, loved it and wanted to come back. I didn't see the finish as I was too busy screaming. I'm delighted with her.

“She mightn't be a champion in everybody's stable but she's definitely one in mine. I have three in training in Bangor, Co. Down.

“We have a beach up there and I've been making sure she's been getting used to it. I was panicking she wouldn't get in but thankfully she did.

“She was seventh in the ballot and I had to do some praying.

“She hasn't really been performing on the turf. She's won the last three seasons in Dundalk.

“I'm actually looking for a ticket across Europe next year for this beach race series. I was thinking maybe if she took to it we could go on our holidays across Europe. Maybe that dream might come true next year.

“We'll have to research that and save some money.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson