Master Appeal (centre) jumps the last between May Dullea (left) and Fairy Court© Photo Healy Racing
Master Appeal provided John Kiely with his second winner of the Tramore Festival (successful with Henry's Girl yesterday) as he just prevailed in the Frank Gillane Memorial Handicap Hurdle.
A winner on his last visit to Tramore in April the six-year-old son of Brian Boru had been disappointing since.
Available at 12/1 last night he opened on-course at just 7's before going off a 6/1 chance under Andrew Lynch.
He led from the eighth and was strongly pressed from the second last. He had May Dullea and Fairy Court on either side approaching the final flight but he battled gamely on the run-in to prevail by a neck.
Fairy Court (9/1) stayed on well but couldn't reel in the winner and had to settle for second under Katie O'Farrell for Thomas Cummins.
May Dullea was a further two and a half lengths back in third under Jody McGarvey for Denis Cullen while the 7/2 favourite (from 6's last night) Finish In Style was beaten a long way from home and eventually came home in seventh.
John Kiely said afterwards: "I'd say he likes the track, he won here before and we thought he was lucky.
"He worked for it today but he was lucky to hold on, the other horse was catching him fast.
"I'm delighted for the owners who have had a lot of patience with him. He ran a few disappointing races for some unknown reason but it is great when he wins.
"I think we will go jumping with him quick enough because I'd say he will struggle in the handicap over hurdles.
"His owners (Express Racing Syndicate) are retired prisoner officers and they are from West Cork."
