Veteran Persian Life returned to form with a bang to take the featured Tote Exacta Handicap Chase on the final day of racing at Dundalk before the track's closure for development work.
Sent off a friendless 20/1 chance, Stephen Mahon's twelve year-old belied his poor recent form figures to make all for a 4 1/2 length verdict over top-weight Auditty.
Earlier, the historic day had threatened to be remembered for all the wrong reasons when the opening Inishkeen Maiden Hurdle saw six of the sixteen-strong field hit the deck.
A heavy shower prior to racing which made ground conditions very slippery was the main reason for the high level of grief, with heavily-backed 2/5f Columba one of the first to exit.
Dessie Hughes' charge came down at the second along with Glengariff, while two more runners went at the next. There was no further drama until the final flight, where Sum Leader slipped up some way after the obstacle when looking sure to score, and the pursuing Up The Mountain also departed. This left Misniuil to come home alone for the luckiest of victories.
The fortunes of two of the jockeys concerned, Joe Casey (Misniuil) and Shane McCann (Sum Leader) were reversed in the 3m handicap chase. Here it was Casey's mount All But who fell at the last to hand victory to An Bonnan Bui and McCann.
The distinction of saddling the final winner prior to the shutdown went to Oliver Finnegan, whose Lisa's Dream sauntered home in the bumper.
