The Lady battles back to spring a surprise

The Lady Granuaile battled back gamely in the closing stages to land the Murray Ambulance Service Mares Handicap Hurdle, under Adrian Heskin for Pauline Gavin.

The American bred daughter of More Than Ready isn’t the most consistent of animals, and after winning a beginners chase at Limerick last month, she disappointingly pulled up on her next two outings at Killarney and Galway.

Recording her fourth career success this evening, the eight-year-old bay was sent off at 20/1, and she was second after the fifth flight.

She improved to dispute the lead from the sixth last, and led before the straight. She was ridden and narrowly headed at the second last, by the 6/1 chance Ourbeautifuldream but she rallied on the run-in to regain the lead in the closing stages, scoring by half a length at the line.

The Prunella Dobbs trained Ourbeautifuldream had to settle for second on her handicap debut under Kevin Sexton, while Station Lane (14/1) ran well to take third, three parts of a length back under Declan Lavery for Brian Hamilton.

The Philip Byrne trained Roisin Dubh (7/1) completed the placings, three lengths back in fourth under Denis Hogan, while Coosan Belle went off the 5/1 favourite under Brian Hayes for John Hanlon, but she could only manage seventh.

Pauline Gavin said afterwards: "Just when you start to think there mightn’t be another day in her, she goes and does that.

"It’s the ground really, she has to have good ground. It was too soft for her the last day in Galway.

"Hopefully we can find another chase for her, as she is on a reasonable mark over fences.

"She got a great ride from Adrian. She’ll probably go to Galway next month, hopefully the ground will be better this time."

Additional reporting by Alan Magee