Tara Mia leads her rivals up the hill at Downpatrick© Photo Healy Racing
Tara Mia blitzed her rivals in the Balloo Vets Handicap Hurdle, coming home fourteen lengths to the good under Jonathan Moore for Tom Gibney and his wife Heidi.
Making her debut in handicap company and stepped up in trip to two mile five, the daughter of Court Cave came in for some market support, opening on-course at 14s before going off a 12/1 chance (was as big as 25s in early shows).
Having shown little in her five previous starts, the five-year-old victor raced towards rear and was tenth with a circuit to race.
She improved through the field from three out, and cruised to the front before the last, keeping on well from there to record an easy success. Shumaker (20/1) kept on to take second, with the front-running Timmone (3/1) another half a length back in third.
Moore said afterwards: "We've always liked her at home but she just wasn't settling in her hurdle races on winter ground. I think the combination of better ground and a trip helped. The race fell apart a bit as well.
"You would hope there would be more in her now she has started handicapping."
Additional reporting by Michael Graham
