"She was a bit lairy when left in front coming down the back straight but she jumped great and wants three miles" said Mark Walsh after Colin Bowe's Sarah Joyce (13/2 into 9/2) landed the opening Ancient East Mares Maiden Hurdle at Clonmel.

Her former stable companion Emma Beag (now with Liz Doyle) was the one to give Sarah Joyce most to do on the run-in, but the pace-setter held on by three parts of a length.

The other main ones for money, and the top two in the betting, Belle Fortune (2/1 favourite) and Una's Pleasure could do no better than ninth and fourth respectively.

"The ground is on the quick side of good and that is what she wants," added the winning rider.

The Stewards fined Miss Elizabeth Doyle, trainer, €350 for lodging a passport in respect of Emma Beag, in which the vaccinations did not conform with the provisions of Rule 91. The Stewards allowed the horse to run on receipt of the trainer's written assurance that the vaccinations were in order.

M.J. Bolger, rider of Faithful Rosanna trained by M.F.O'Dowd, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount was pulled up having never jumped or travelled during this race.

D.N. Russell, rider of Goodthynemilan trained by Denis Ahern, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount did not handle the ground.

(TW & EM)