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- Cleary completes 77/1 double on Beach Wedding
Donal Murphy
Cleary completes 77/1 double on Beach Wedding
Beach Wedding (nearest) powers home under Rory Cleary to beat Bella Figura
© Photo Healy Racing
After taking the seventh on For Pleasure Rory Cleary doubled-up on the Johnny Murtagh trained Beach Wedding in the concluding Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap.
Successful on her last start at Gowran, the daughter of Footstepsinthesand was stepped up in trip to a mile and two for the first time this evening.
Available at 15/2 in early shows, the Wendy O'Leary owned bay proved easy to back, opening on-course at 10s before going off a 12/1 chance.
Settled in mid-division on the inner, she was ridden from the two furlong pole and went third with 200 yards left to race.
She powered home inside the final 100 yards, getting up on the line to deny Bella Figura by a head.
The runner-up was returned at 12/1 under Colm O'Donoghue for Jessica Harrington, while Shes An Art (14/1) was another length and a quarter back in third. Dayereh (25/1) completed the placings half a length back in fourth, while the well-backed 7/2 favourite (from 13/2 on-course) Ringside Humour was a disappointing eleventh.
Murtagh said afterwards: "She has been going well and I think the step up in trip was a help. We couldn't hold her last year over seven furlongs so she has really settled well.
"They went slow and Rory said he got stopped a bit and he had to wait but when he got out she took off on him. She is very genuine, and has improved from two to three."
Additional reporting by Alan Magee