Grove Hill avoided being claimed following her win in the opening Sligo High Speed WiFi Claiming Race at Sligo today, as the three following horses all subsequently found new homes.

Ridden by Gary Carroll, Grove Hill, a daughter of Millenary, was held up in mid-field before making headway before the home straight.

The pair moved to the front with a furlong to race and held off the challenge of fast-finishing Heir Of Excitement, under first-timer jockey Cathal Gahan, by half a length.

Winning trainer Mick Mulvany wasn't present and afterwards jockey Carroll later said “that was great. Poor Mick is in hospital so hopefully that will cheer him up. I think it's just something minor — a check up.

“I jumped and got a nice position. I thought we went a real good gallop and she just saw it out but she's a good honest filly.

“I think she'll jump a hurdle too. She's here to be claimed, I suppose, and whoever claims her will have a lot of fun with her. She's a good genuine filly.”

Runner-up Heir Of Excitement, whose current rating of 40 is now set to climb, was later claimed for E8,000 by trainer Pat Martin, third-placed Easter Racer was claimed for E12,000 by Michael P Kearney to be trained by Sean Byrne while fourth-placed Cash In Mind was picked up for E4,000 by trainer John McConnell.

Quotes from Gary Carson