Red Heel and Wesley Joyce© Photo Healy Racing
Red Heel recorded a sixth career win but her first in nearly two years when making all for a poignant victory in the Pravha Handicap at Down Royal.
The Mick Mulvany-trained mare adopted her usual front-running role when quickly away from stalls in this seven-furlong event and the 11/2 shot asserted over a furlong out under Wesley Joyce.
The 5lb claimer just pushed her out inside the final 150 yards to beat 2/1 favourite Giuseppe Cassioli by two and a half lengths with Distillate a further length and a quarter back in third.
Joyce won twice on Red Heel in 2022 before suffering serious injuries in a fall from her at the Galway Festival and an emotional Mulvany said, "That's the horse that Wesley got hurt on, so it is great to see her back.
"It is all behind him now, but it is just nice to come back and win on her and prove that it is all over. Hopefully, it will be onwards and upwards for him.
"The filly was moved from our yard and came back this year and Wesley looks after her every day. It was just one of those things on the day. Now that she has got her head back in front, you never know.
"I'm delighted for Wesley. We have been hitting the goalpost a little bit lately and it is nice to see him get back in the winners enclosure.
"He is based with me full-time again, he came back about two months ago. He's a good young fella and he does his best. He's probably not just the finished article yet, but we will knock the corners off him! I think he has the makings of being a jockey.
"I thought the last day in Gowran we rode her all wrong and it turned into a little bit of a sprint.
"She's a big strong filly and she has a big long stride on her. She wouldn't have an exceptional turn of speed on her. She has a high travelling speed and that's why we were intent on making it a good strong gallop."
Quotes by Michael Graham
