Cuteasafox keeps on best to score from Dearest Girl (partially hidden) and The Bishop's Day in third© Photo Healy Racing
Adrian Heskin continued his excellent run of form as he partnered Cuteasafox (12/1) to victory in the Tote Jackpot Mares Maiden Hurdle for his boss Michael Hourigan.
Heskin was recording his sixth winner in just over a week after recording doubles at Killarney last Thursday and Tipperary on Sunday while he also rode a winner at Ballinrobe on Tuesday.
The winning 5yo daughter of Vinnie Roe put in two good efforts on good ground in May but disappointed on her last two outings on soft.
Back on good ground this evening, she chased down the leader, Dearest Girl from after the last and kept on best to score by two and a half lengths at the line. The Bishop's Day kept on well to take second at 5/1 for Liam Kenny and Bryan Cooper while Dearest Girl was a neck back in third for John and Josh Halley at 14/1.
Winning trained Michael Hourigan said afterwards: "She should have won a bumper.
"Barry Geraghty rode her recently and he said to put a tongue tie on her as she wasn’t breathing well enough.
"We put a grackle noseband and tongue tie on her the last day but it didn’t work.
"Laura (Hourigan’s daughter) said she didn’t think she needed it so we left everything off today. The young ones are telling me what to do nowadays!
"She is in foal to Getaway and we have just two to three weeks to find another race for her before she is finished."
Verney Bird, the dam of the winner, won three races in her career including a Listed hurdle in Fairyhouse back in 2002.
There is an on-going enquiry into the race as the well backed 4/5 favourite Summer Star (finished seventh) and the runner-up The Bishop’s Day lost significant ground at the start.
Ted Walsh trainer of the favourite said afterwards: “It was a very unsatisfactory start and it’s a long way to come for f all.”
(On-course reporting by Thomas Weekes)
