2.45 2m. 4f. 5-y-o plus 6 Ran
I.T.B.A. (Meath Region) Mares S´chase of €27,000.00 5-y-o plus 1st - €17,577.00, 2nd - €5,400.00, 3rd - €2,700.00, 4th - €1,080.00

The ever consistent Carrigeen Kalmia recorded her first win since January of 2007 and done so with an all the way success in the hands of Liz Lalor. Only once has the nine-year-old been out of the first four in her last 11 starts and she jumped well throughout holding off Candy Girl by a length and a quarter at the death.

The winner jumped for fun out in front and deserved this success on the ratings and while usually prominent in her races connections will probably opt to try to make the running next time out which is likely to be the Ulster Bank Handicap Chase at Punchestown in which she was second in last year behind Royal County Star.

Candy Girl landed a Grade 3 last weekend at Limerick but has proved to be expensive to follow at times in her career. She was settled in third for most of the race until Ruby Walsh moved into second at the third last.

She had every chance if good enough from there on but yet again just met one better on the day and there could be no real excuse.

Attempting two and a half miles for the first time over the larger obstacles was Savitha and in fairness to her was creeping closer under a patient ride but her chances of success were scuppered when making a bad mistake at the second last. If she would have been able to challenge the leading pair is hard to say but certainly would have put a big dent in the nine-length gap without the mistake.

Omas Glen made a mistake four out and from there was finding things hard while Ross Geraghty did well to stay on La Marianne after she ploughed through the second last.

Sea Diva was well backed (10-13/2) but again was never a factor after making a terrible mistake just beyond half way and from there she never really got into contention but was given an easy time of things after that by Paul Carberry.