Glendars Mahler and Mark McDonagh far side clear the final hurdle with Air Drop © Photo Healy Racing
The James Andrew Fahey trained Glendars Mahler gained a deserved first career win when staying on strongly to open her account in the Martin Reilly Hyundai Mares Maiden Hurdle at Sligo.
An early faller at Ballinrobe last time, the seven-year-old had been placed on her two previous starts. In fact, she could so easily have lost her maiden status at Downpatrick last June, coming to grief two out with the race seemingly at her mercy.
Held up in the initial stages here, jockey Mark McDonagh moved closer towards the end of the first circuit, taking up the running early on the second.
Always travelling easily at the head of affairs, the Frank Reynolds owned mare was challenged briefly by Air Drop entering the straight but had that horses measure at the final flight.
Ridden right out by McDonagh on the run-in, Glendars Mahler ran out a comfortable four lengths winner. Coole Cherry was sent off 4-7f but after a couple of mistakes she was pushed along before three out, eventually weakening to finish fifth.
Winning jockey Mark McDonagh said: "To be honest the lads said to take a lead but we were going no gallop and she was just travelling so well under me. At least once I let her get in front I could drop my hands and she got breathers the whole way around and, to be fair to her, she ground it out to the line."
Additional reporting by Mark Nunan
